Cheerfulness Incarnate
by Omegaguardian
Summary: This is a story about a boy named Uzumaki Naruto. Eventually NaruHina. UNDER RECONSTRUCTION!Joint effort with Mitsumaru. We have a lot of work to do...
1. Prolouge

Summary: Naruto can be described as Cheerfulness Incarnate, the very definition of a cheerful child. This, however is just a mask to what really happens to the boy named Uzumaki Naruto

A/N: This is my first fanfiction so don't be too hard on me. Reviews are graciously accepted and flames are used to cook my meals during the day. Try not to be too hard, but be truthful. I want to know what you think. If I don't get many reviews, I'll just stop the story, thinking that it sucks. I hope you enjoy my story. I don't know how long it will be, but this will be a multi-chapter story. This will be a Naru/Hina fic eventually so have fun. Rated for paranoia, rating may change.

-omegagurdian

(story start)

Cheerfulness Incarnate

It was a dark and stormy night. A young, 5-year-old boy trudged through the streets of Konohagakure no Sato. His worldly possessions consisted of the clothes on his back, and the blanket around his frail body. He was very hungry. He spent the day attempting to find a decent meal to no avail. By looking at his body, one can think that he hadn't eaten a good meal in weeks, and that was exactly the case. He had no home; he was kicked out of the orphanage a year ago and he has been wandering the streets ever since. He could only eat when he managed to steal something; he could only bathe when he went to the river on the outskirts of the village. He shivered; the rain pouring down did not help in his desperate search for warmth. He continued walking in a daze, attempting to forget the pain of hunger from his stomach, the bitter cold of the storm, and most of all, the pain of being absolutely alone. He knew no one. When he tried to make friends, they are yanked away from the adults.

"_Why?"_ he thought, _"Why do they hate me? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" _

He continued to think as he walked, looking for a dry spot to sleep. He was tired. He spent the day, not only attempting to get food, but he also spent the day running from the villagers. He drooped lower as he trudge grew slower, the effects of the day's events finally taking its toll.

Suddenly, a large red something appeared in front of him. Not making the effort to stop, he bumped into it. He looked up slowly to see what may have been the only kind face in the entire village. He then blacked out, running out of energy as he fell to the cold street. The last thing he could remember was a large red thing picking him up.

(POV change)

Sandaime Hokage looked down to see a small wet bundle collapsed on the ground. He looked worried as he picked up the bundle, curious as to what would have bumped into him. The bundle was amazingly light for something that size. A tattered, wet blanket covered the item inside, yet he could still see drooping blue eyes and drenched blonde hair. He immediately grew worried as he rushed off to his home, wondering why young Uzumaki Naruto was outside in such deplorable weather.

(POV change, a little later)

He woke up feeling oddly comfortable. He enjoyed whatever item he was laying on and drifted off to a pleasant sleep. Waking later, fully restored, he basically bounced out of bed to realize that the room he was in was not his own. In fact, he did not have a room to compare it to. He started to panic, trying to leave the house before the owner returned to see the "demon spawn" on a piece of his/her furniture. He opened the window to see he was on the second floor.

"_I can't get out through here,"_ he thought.

He then rushed towards the door, just in time to see it swing towards the outside. A large red figure appeared in the doorway. The figure laughed softly as it realized what Naruto was trying to do.

"So, you're awake now? Osashiburi, Naruto," the red figure said with laughter in his eyes.

Naruto looked up to see the only friendly face he knows. A smile lit his face as he grabbed his torso in a tight hug.

"Hokage-oji-san! It's nice to see you again." Naruto paused for a second as he thought about something. "Demo, where did you find me? Why am I here?"

Sarutobi smiled as he looked down at his new abdominal appendage. "I have a few questions for you too, Naruto. Come now, let's get something to eat."

Naruto flashed a giant smile as he thought of food and rushed out of the room, dragging the Hokage's hand with him.

(End Chapter)

Translations for people who don't know Japanese:

Konohagakure no Sato: Village Hidden in the Leaves

Sandaime Hokage: Third Hokage

Hokage-oji-san: Old Man Hokage (literally Uncle Hokage)

Demo: But

(End Translations)

A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter. (It's barely three pages, including all of my notes and I think it's short.) This is my first time and I think I got my idea across. I bet you're confused about the title of my story, but you'll see in later chapters. I give my regards to **Manatheron, VenomLord, **and** Tellemicus Sundance **for their inspirations. I have read other Naru/Hina fics but they did not inspire me as much as these stories.

**Manatheron** for being a great writer with many stories such as "The Day the Smile Slipped" and the "Return of the Lost" series

**VenomLord **for writing "Life of Uzumaki Naruto," giving me the inspiration to write this chapter.

**Tellemicus Sundance **for writing "Legacy of the Rasengan," giving me ideas to use in later chapters.


	2. Chapter 1:Masks

A/N: Thanks to my reviewer (singular), **iwriteokstories** for her excellent review. I think I'll be including more information about me in my profile once I get the confidence to do so. I mean, all I have on my profile is my age and birthday month. Also, I seem to have forgotten to mention during my translations in the previous chapter. "Osashiburi" means "It's been a long time" or "It's been a while." It's a common Japanese greeting for people who haven't seen each other in a long time. I will probably be updating on the weekends or when I feel like it since I still have school. (Today is Saturday, June 03, 2006 and I have school until the 15th.) After school ends, I may update more often. Just to clarify, I rated this fanfic "T" because I am paranoid, not because the characters are. That's enough rambling from me. Enjoy the next installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate."

Disclaimer: "Naruto" is not owned by me, or any member of my immediate family, so I do not expect any lawsuits, okay? Okay.

(Chapter starts)

Naruto chattered joyfully as they walked through the streets of Konoha.Sarutobi responded to every statement with a smile while realizing that Naruto seemed to feel fake as he talked to him. He wondered what was happening in Naruto's young mind and figured that Naruto was acting cheerful just to hide the pain. Sarutobi also realized that he may not be able to know what Naruto is really thinking by just talking to him.

"_It seems that Naruto has lost trust in just about everybody. To think that he has to put on a mask for everyone to see makes me fear what he will become later in life. It seems that your last wish wasn't granted, was it Yondaime?"_ Sarutobi sighed as he made this thought. He then shifted his thoughts to where he and Naruto can go without Naruto having to see hateful glances wherever he looked. He spotted a small Ramen stand and started towards it. Naruto noticed this and started to speak his thoughts about it.

"Hokage-oji-san, are we going to eat there?"

The Hokage only nodded at the small boy before walking into the small stand. The owner instantly walked over to his customers and took their order.

"Welcome to Ichiraku's! How may I help you?" The owner said this without a hateful tone. The phrase did not seem to be forced unlike the voices of the villagers. He also said this with a true smile, not like the villagers' scowls or forced smiles.

"Two miso ramen specials, please" Sarutobi responded smiling, pleased that there were people who didn't hate Naruto for what he had inside his stomach.

The owner left after taking the order, making the preparations for the soup.

(POV change)

Naruto was starving. To say the aforementioned sentence would be a grave understatement. Naruto was absolutely famished! He hadn't eaten anything decent in weeks and here he is, with the Hokage, having a meal being paid by the Hokage himself. Naruto knew he shouldn't take advantage of his kindness, but he was just too hungry. As soon as the ramen came, he basically shouted, "Itadakimasu!" and dove into the bowl, finishing its contents in mere seconds. He stared at the Hokage with eyes that seemed to beg, "May I have some more, please?" The Hokage noticed this and merely nodded before Naruto yelled for more.

"Okawari, kudasai!"

The owner, who was also the only worker, turned in shock, thinking that there was no way that a kid can finish a bowl that quickly. Ichiraku was snapped out of his stupor by the Hokage's voice.

"Can you please make it an extra-large bowl this time?"

Ichiraku then turned to go into the kitchen to make a large serving of miso ramen.

(POV change, a little later)

This was one of the times that he was glad to be the Hokage. The cost of the meal would easily be the equivalent of a genin's monthly salary. He looked over to Naruto where a stack of fifteen bowls were placed next to the small, yet full, child. He turned his attention to his side of the table to only see two bowls stacked in front of him. During the meal, Sarutobi looked over to Naruto to see that he was eating the ramen as it was the best thing in the world. He thought about Naruto's state of being during the meal. Even now, questions swam in his mind.

"_How can such a small boy eat so much? How can he eat so quickly?"_ A thought suddenly struck him. _"How much has he eaten recently? It seems like he hadn't eaten in a long time. I found him on the street; does this mean what I think it means? I'll ask him, I mean, we came here to talk, didn't we?" _

"Naruto?" he said, getting Naruto's attention.

"Hai?" Naruto responded, contented on having eaten a meal.

"Why did I find you on the street? Weren't you in an orphanage last I saw you?"

Naruto's smile seemed to flicker before replying in a small voice. "They kicked me out. I don't know why, but I was only able to take my blanket before they chased me out of the building."

Sarutobi was shocked to hear this. Without thinking much upon the subject, he questioned Naruto again. "How long were you out there before I found you?"

Naruto kept the small voice as he answered. Naruto couldn't raise he voice more than this while talking about this subject. "I can't remember exactly, I think it was around a year."

This shocked him more than the last statement. Thoughts along the lines of, _"He was homeless for a year and I didn't notice!" _swam within his mind. The next set of thoughts went along the lines of _"I have to find a home for him. I wish I can take him into my home but I can't fit any more people." _

Naruto's poking drew him out of his thoughts. It seemed that Naruto had picked up his mask and was acting like the smiling actor of a play. "Hokage-oji-san? Daijoubu deska?"

Sarutobi only smiled as he saw the concern on Naruto's face. "Un. I'm okay. Why don't we go back to my place to see where you can stay?"

Naruto sprung back to life, grabbing the Hokage's hand as he dragged the Sandaime to his home.

(End Chapter)

Translations:

Yondaime: The 4th Hokage; he sealed Kyuubi into Naruto to save the village 5 years ago (currently, Naruto is 5 years old)

Itadakimasu: General phrase said before meals, common etiquette in Japanese society

Okawari, kudasai: Seconds, please

Hai: Yes

Daijoubu deska: Are you okay/all right?

Un: Casual way of saying "Yes"

(End Translations)

A/N: Okay, I know it sucks. I also know this is short, but it's not as short as my last chapter. This is my first time and this is just a bridge to the next chapter. I really appreciate reviews and I would like to thank **iwriteokstories **for her support in my first chapter.


	3. Chapter 2: Disguise

A/N: I am flattered. I can't believe I actually have 3 reviews! (I suck, I know, this is my first fic and I'm doing some experimentation) Thank you so much **Kitsu Maharu** for your reviews (yes, plural, as in one for each of my existing chapters)! I am so happy. I am so happy; I'm attempting to write the third chapter of my series in the same day it was published! Today is Saturday, June 03, 2006 and I'm looking forward to more reviews. So happy! By the way, I'm open to any suggestions to my story. I'm writing this as I go so any suggestion will be acknowledged unless it is a suggestion to change the desired pairing, Naru/Hina. I'm all ears people! Also, please tell me if I screw up on someone's name. I want to make it so you do not have to worry about spelling errors when it comes to the names. I want to make this story flow without you having to worry about grammar errors either so don't be afraid to point it out, even if it's small. If you try to reread a certain part, trying to find out what it means due to my screw-up, tell me so I can change it. I hate having to stop and say, "Hey, you screwed up here!" or "This isn't how it's supposed to be!" and try to correct it before moving on. Reviews are appreciated and Flames are used to cook my eggs and bacon. Enjoy the third installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate."

Disclaimer: Everyone who thinks I own Naruto will receive a martini laden with rat poison. Enough said.

(Chapter Starts, One year after the end of the last chapter)

Naruto awoke with a start. The cause of the evil interruption of his sleep was an alarm clock made out of spare parts. He looked around to see his apartment. Nothing special, am I right? Wrong. The apartment is nearly empty, and the furniture that is already there are either cracked or broken to some degree. The Hokage gives him an allowance, but it's not all that big. Seeing that Naruto's apartment is already being paid for by the Hokage himself, he still needs to pay for the essentials including utilities, food and water. This usually would not be a problem if he was a normal person. The allowance would cover a normal person for a month and that person would still have enough to spend on something he/she wanted. Unfortunately, he is not normal; therefore, the village seems to make it their duty to cause him problems. Naruto, wanting to be strong enough to get away from the villagers, takes a 3 mile jog in the morning. He usually gets his groceries and other essentials in the mornings during this time. Naruto is generally overcharged for just about everything. Food, clothes, electronics, you name it; he pays about twice the normal price. Naruto is banned from about half of the stores in Konoha. The other stores either overcharge him or they don't really give him much of a choice of products. For example, the orange suit that he wears constantly was basically forced upon him due to the fact that the clothing store wouldn't sell anything else to him. In fact, the only store that he knows of that doesn't overcharge him is his favorite ramen stand; the same stand that he ate in a year ago with the Hokage.

This day, however, is not like the others. Hokage-oji-san, as Naruto kindly calls Sarutobi, was nice enough to enroll him into the ninja academy after noticing his interest in the ninja arts. Naruto dressed relatively quickly; excitement and anticipation filling every fiber of his being. In his rush, he remembered to lock the door; the consequences of not doing so still fresh in his mind.

Naruto jogged to the academy holding his materials in his backpack. The academy happened to be about a mile away from his apartment so Naruto still was able to get a small exercise in the morning. He wore the same mask he did a year ago; the one he made to hide the pain of the villagers scorn.

He stopped outside the academy to see it was nearly empty. He was extremely early. The only people present were a few teachers trying to get ready for the first day. He sat on the first thing he saw, which just so happened to be a small swing. He waited anxiously for the first bell.

(Later)

Naruto started out feeling ecstatic about starting school, but now, he wasn't so sure. The place on the swing, occupied by the young, orange-clad, blonde-haired boy was totally ignored. Each person that arrived at the school was a hit toward his well-prepared mask. Naruto was failing to maintain his smile as each child was dropped off by their parents, the parents wishing them good luck on the first day of school. The bell then rings, snapping Naruto out of his stupor and sending him running into the building, mask in place.

(Scene Change, In the Classroom)

He saw Naruto sitting anxiously in his seat, looking forward to the lesson that was to come. Naruto then sat up, as he spotted a medium-sized man walk in. He was dressed in a standard chuunin jacket and a pair of pants. Attached to the pants was a standard weapons pouch and the jacket had a few scrolls in the part of the jacket that was designed for scrolls. He was tan-skinned with a scar across his face starting under his right eye, going across the nose and ending in the middle of his left cheek. He carried a stack of papers and a clipboard which he placed on his table. He picked up the clipboard, scanning the classroom. Iruka attracted everyone's attention with a single word.

"QUIET!"

Everyone instantly went silent. Iruka then marked his clipboard as he called out the names of the children.

"_An Akamichi, an Aburame, a Haruno, a Hyuuga, an Inuzuka, a Nara, an Uchiha, an Uzumaki, and a Yamanaka. This is an interesting group of kids we have here. The Hyuuga will be very interesting. The Uchiha will definitely be a good one. The Uzumaki will definitely be a burden; I really need to watch the demon child." _ Iruka thought as he scanned the room. The one who caught his eye was a boy with a bright orange outfit and a hair color to match. He was annoyed just looking at him, but he decided not to pick on him, yet. He smiled as he thought of the things he could do to the "demon spawn"

"Okay, class. Open your books to page three and take notes as I give you the main points."

He started his lecture on disguises and masks while watching Naruto carefully. As soon as Iruka saw him space out, he called on him.

"Uzumaki! What is the most efficient way to hide your identity?" Iruka asked, picking him out of the crowd. The rest of the class was probably as uninterested as he was but Iruka picked him to see what he was capable of.

"Ano… Uh…" Naruto stammered, unable to give an answer.

"Okay, then, would you mind reading the third paragraph on page four?" Iruka asked, deciding to pick on him some more.

"Um… Uh… Iruka-sensei, I, uh…" Naruto replied nervously. "I-I can't really…um…" Naruto then mumbled indistinctly.

The students nearby heard his response and stared at him, thinking along the lines of,_ "You can't what!"_

"What was that Naruto?" Iruka asked with an evil smile.

"I-I c-can't r-r-read." Naruto replied sullenly.

Half of the class stared at him in disbelief while the other half burst into peals of laughter. Iruka happened to join the side that laughed heartily at his misfortune, knowing full well that he couldn't learn how to read at home.

Naruto sunk into his seat as everyone either regained their composure or snapped out of their stupor.

Iruka, still laughing, asked Sakura to answer the question. "Haruno, can you please answer for our foolish friend?"

Sakura answered promptly with great precision of her words. "The most efficient way to disguise your identity is to take up a different personality than your own. This is explained in the section you identified, Iruka-sensei."

(POV change, a little later)

He could still hear the snickers of half of his classmates and he can still feel the disbelieving stares of the others. He was about to burst as the bell rang signaling the start of break. Naruto rushed out of the room, unable to bear such embarrassment. He then thought of Sakura's words as he rushed towards the front door, _"The most efficient way to disguise your identity is to take up a different personality than your own." _

"_A different personality than your own; I think that will actually work!"_ Naruto thought as he ran towards the grassy field outside the school.

"_This is going to be a long day"_ He thought as he burst through the door, the sound of laughter still ringing in his ears.

(End Chapter)

Translations:

Iruka-sensei: Teacher Iruka. The –sensei honorific is given to people with professions such as teacher or writer. Iruka is a teacher therefore the children automatically refer to him as –sensei.

(End Translations)

A/N: If you're wondering why Iruka's a prick; he's one because he hasn't known Naruto for very long. I believe that Iruka hated Naruto's guts before he looked past the "demon" to see the kind little boy. This story is based on the Naruto storyline even if it is AU. Anyway, this is probably the longest chapter I've written so far and I am finishing this at 12:07 AM, Sunday, June 04, 2006. I hope you like it because I sure do. I like the reviews, review please!


	4. Chapter 3: Facade

A/N: I would like to think all my reviewers, all 10 of you. Here are the responses to your questions or reviews. I thank all my readers, even if they do not review. I block anonymous reviewers because I like to be able to trace who is reviewing and read their stories, if any.

**Blackwolf0925**: I was actually thinking about that. I've narrowed it down to either the regular team 7 setup (Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke) or a revised team consisting of Naruto, Shikamaru, and Hinata.

**Foxes-n-blood-n-tears-never-shed: **I am considering it. I think I will either go with Kakashi or Kurenai for their sensei. If I choose the normal team 7 (see above), I will use Kakashi. If I revise the team, I will have Kurenai as their sensei.

**LoveDetermination: **Thank you very much! That is what I was going for. Also, trust me, that "someone" will cheer Naruto up very soon.

**Twilightangel:** It's Ok. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I do hope you keep reading though.

**Narut0-fan101: **I got it from the first episode. Iruka did say he hated the Kyuubi and I think that means he treated Naruto the same as the other villagers before he got to know Naruto.

**SF Ranger: **I will try. This is the 4th chapter I've written this weekend so, if it makes you feel any better, consider the four chapters like one really long one. Thanks for the suggestion, though.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo**: Oh, don't cry, the story will get better soon.

**S-Wanderer999:** Thanks. That is exactly where I got the idea from. (See response to Narut0-fan101)

**Korrd:** Well, he isn't, isn't he? I mean, for a person to carry a burden like that and still be able to be that cheerful must not be that naïve.

**Teen13:** AU is "Alternate Universe." I control everything in this story and I can warp people's personalities to do as I see fit.

**Anime-Boy07:** Thanks for your review. It is truly appreciated.

**Rovak: **Um, thanks. I was going for angst in the beginning but don't expect it to last too long. Sorry.

I will try to update soon, but I still have school. This is a weekend and I have about two weeks of school left so I can't be on this computer 24/7. Also, contrary to popular belief (no offense reviewers, I'm talking about real people here), I **do** have a life. I have friends and I like spending time with them so I really have to balance all my time here. Also, another forgotten translation, "Ano" is the equivalent of "Um" or "Uh." It is kind of like a "space filler" when you have either forgotten something or you are nervous or embarrassed. So, enough from me, enjoy the fourth installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate!"

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Anyone who says otherwise has to answer to my friend, Harry, the extremely large one-eyed elf.

(Last chapter…)

He could still hear the snickers of half of his classmates and he can still feel the disbelieving stares of the others. He was about to burst as the bell rang signaling the start of break. Naruto rushed out of the room, unable to bear such embarrassment. He then thought of Sakura's words as he rushed towards the front door, _"The most efficient way to disguise your identity is to take up a different personality than your own." _

"_A different personality than your own; I think that will actually work!"_ Naruto thought as he ran towards the grassy field outside the school.

"_This is going to be a long day"_ He thought as he burst through the door, the sound of laughter still ringing in his ears.

(Begin Chapter 4)

Naruto immediately rushed through the field to claim his swing, the same one he was seated upon that very morning. He started to think of a new disguise as he leisurely swayed back and forth. He looked up and submerged himself in his own thoughts.

"_A different personality than your own; am I not already doing that? I already hide most of my emotions behind these eyes of mine, but it seems it's not enough. I need to hold almost all of my emotions back and create a new me. That wouldn't be so tough if they hadn't found out one of my secrets already, but they already know I can't read. What would happen if they found out that I couldn't…?" _He trailed off as an idea struck him. _"They would think I was a complete moron. A moron, huh; I think that will be perfect! They think I'm a complete idiot and I can hide almost anything because they will take my weakness as stupidity! This will be perfect with my current mask of cheerfulness! The words that they can describe me with are, stupid, idiotically cheerful, naïve, and way too expressive. They will think I'm giving out all of my feelings while I hide everything inside. Absolutely brilliant!"_

He was interrupted by a small, blue-haired girl as she approached him. She seemed to stop in her tracks as she noticed she was seen. She started to speak, slowly and timidly.

"N-Naruto-kun, I-I think I-I c-can help w-with your p-problem. I c-can t-t-teach you how to r-read, if y-you w-want." The small girl spoke in a small voice, stuttering as her nervousness took form.

Naruto seemed to be surprised at her straightforwardness. By the sound of her voice, Naruto figured that she would not normally do this, especially to a complete stranger. Also, he was surprised at the honorific that was attached to his name. He was never called anything other than a nickname that included the word "demon" in it. _"If I have to test this new personality of mine, I might as well do it now."_

(POV change)

"What's your name?" asked the blonde also known as Uzumaki Naruto.

The tone of voice that he used surprised her slightly. The voice that she heard in the classroom seemed to feel normal. She had been sitting behind him, to the left, and she heard his secret, along with the other seven people around him. This voice seemed to be different somehow.

She tried to control her nervousness as she responded, failing miserably. "H-Hyuuga H-Hinata, I-it's n-nice to m-meet you."

"My name's Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you, too" he said, taking her hand and shaking it vigorously. He continued on, replying to her first statement. "You say you can help me? Honto?"

She nodded slowly, unable to speak due to her shock. "That's great! I need to learn how to read if I ever want to become the greatest ninja alive. In fact, I want to become the Hokage!" Hinata opened her eyes wide in shock, knowing that something was different about him. The small silence that developed was chased away as he spoke again. "Do you think you can help me with writing, too? I don't know how to do that, either." Naruto said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Hinata couldn't speak. He just revealed another of his secrets. This time, however, it seemed that Naruto wasn't bothered at all by his weakness. She only nodded and walked inside, Naruto cheerfully following her, speaking at a hundred words a minute. She couldn't help but wonder what was wrong with the boy walking beside her.

(Scene Change, POV Change, a little later)

He was happy to say the least. He had a friend; at least he thinks he did. He never had one before so Hinata was his first friend, he thinks. Naruto doesn't really think that a literacy lesson counted as a sign of friendship, but at this point, he would take anything. Now, the class was back in session, the teacher specifically picking on Naruto to read certain parts of the book, knowing that he is unable to. During the entire lesson, however, he doesn't allow his carefully prepared façade fall to pieces. He reads all he can, stopping where he can't and looking slightly sheepish before someone reads the word for him. Naruto couldn't help but notice that three students were watching him carefully. Aburame Shino, Nara Shikamaru, and his new "friend" Hyuuga Hinata gazed suspiciously as he read. He figured that they were surprised about his improvement on this reading and did not bat an eye towards them.

Inside the costume, Naruto was fighting a losing battle. _"Keeping this up is harder than I thought. It would help if I knew what cheerfulness really was so I can fake it properly but this will have to do for now. By the looks of things, it's working like a charm. Nobody really notices that something is wrong. If I can keep this up, they will never have to know how I really am." _Naruto was mentally struggling to keep the mask solid, but on the outside, his face holds no traces of anything except what he wants them to see.

The lesson he was reading aloud was actually interesting to him. It was about the uses of chakra. From what he can read, chakra is a mixture of physical and mental energies. It can be used for speed boosts, power boosts, and bracing for impacts. It can be also used in ninjutsu and genjutsu. It is used in taijutsu only if the user needs to use it. Ninjutsu and genjutsu are cast by the use of hand-seals. The hand-seals are based on the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac and they all have their own specific strengths and weaknesses. The hand-seals mold chakra in a specific way to make certain things occur. The techniques can be as simple as a transparent clone, or as advanced as a fire dragon, depending on which seals are used to cast it.

The gears turned in Naruto's head. He thought of the ways he can reinforce his façade and how he can use this information to help him. He also needed to release the stress of maintaining the façade somehow. He was interrupted as a paper wad connected with the back of his skull. Then, the idea came to him. _"I can become a prankster, it's a good way to release stress and get back at the people who are mean to me, meaning everyone except Hokage-oji-san and Hinata-san. I can also use this chakra stuff to help me perform the pranks as well as run away from the stupid villagers. The pranks will be semi-harmless; even if they deserve it, I can't hurt them too badly. My first target will be… Iruka-sensei!"_

(A little later)

The bell rang as Naruto struggled with an especially hard word for a beginner. The instant the bell rang, Iruka ran to the door to block the way out as he gave the assignment. _"A one-page summary; It's not like I'm going to do it. The way I see it, Iruka-sensei would probably accuse me of cheating if I did do it. I might as well start getting back at a few of the villagers. Speaking of which…" _Naruto snuck silently behind his desk and rummaged through the drawers to see what he can work with. _"Training kunai, some glue; an exploding tag and some weights; also, there is some odango he probably left over from lunch; this is going to be fun…"_

(End Chapter)

Translations:

-kun: Honorific attached to the and of a name. Symbolizes familiarity and affection. Used mostly for boys.

Honto: Really

Ninjutsu: Ninja arts, usually uses chakra to create or destroy something to the user's advantage.

Genjutsu: Illusion arts, user casts illusions to confuse the enemy and make the target easier to attack.

Taijutsu: Physical arts, martial arts. User uses stamina to perform powerful and somewhat acrobatic maneuvers to attack or defend.

Odango: Sweet balls of fried dough, usually coated in syrup. (Yummy )

(End Translations)

A/N: My first cliffhanger; I feel evil today. I tried making it longer but I was feeling evil so CLIFFHANGER! I have something planned with these items. Let's see if you can guess. I thank all my reviewers again for their positive reviews. See you next time!


	5. Chapter 4: Prank Master

A/N: Okay, people, I'm back! This is the third part in my "First Day" trilogy. The three chapters, starting from chapter 3, were concerning Naruto's first two days of school. The next chapter will probably be the first of a few time jumps toward Naruto's graduation from the Ninja Academy. Anyway, I finished my idea of the prank that Naruto is about to pull and it turned out better than I thought! Like Naruto said at the end of my last chapter, this is going to be fun. I like the response I'm getting for my story. I also like the positive response to me introducing Hinata so early into the game. I plan on using the entire rookie nine for something in this story; I just haven't thought about it much. Anyway, here are the review responses.

**LoveDetermination: **Really? I thought bringing her in too soon would kill the story. Thanks for the positive reinforcement. "Now that she's here, what can I do?" is my real concern right now. This chapter won't really focus on Hinata very much because I want to describe the prank in excruciating detail.

**Dilandau-Baka: **Be prepared to laugh really hard. I sure did when I read my chapter over.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo:** Hmm, I think I'll keep things as they are with the normal teams, but with Hinata being a friend to Naruto. I can work with that a lot better. Sasuke can really make or break my story so far, even though Sasuke wasn't properly introduced yet. Thanks for the help! Also, don't worry, Iruka isn't hurt too badly.

**Dragon Man 180: **Actually, in my fic, it's both. Iruka doesn't actually help when he finds out. If anything, Iruka only rubbed salt in the wound as Naruto drowned in the embarrassment. Iruka is also Naruto's first target because Iruka is the closest target readily available and Naruto needs to test out his "'Prankster' brand stress-relieving system" on somebody. Also, don't worry Hinata and Naruto will get somewhat closer in the following chapters.

So, the conclusion of the "First Day" trilogy begins now. Enjoy the fifth installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

(Last chapter…)

The bell rang as Naruto struggled with an especially hard word for a beginner. The instant the bell rang, Iruka ran to the door to block the way out as he gave the assignment. _"A one-page summary; It's not like I'm going to do it. The way I see it, Iruka-sensei would probably accuse me of cheating if I did do it. I might as well start getting back at a few of the villagers. Speaking of which…" _Naruto snuck silently behind his desk and rummaged through the drawers to see what he can work with. _"Training kunai, some glue; an exploding tag and some weights; also, there is some odango he probably left over from lunch; this is going to be fun…"_

(Start Chapter 5)

Naruto rushed as he tried to get everything ready. He had a little trouble activating the explosive tag since it needed a little chakra but Naruto managed to put a little bit into it as he moved a few things around. Naruto hid his wide grin as he scurried out of the room, passing a few children as he made it outside the door. He then peered into the room through a small space he made preventing the door from shutting. He suppressed his laughter as he waited for the fruits of his labor. The anticipation was almost too much to bear but he was able to keep it in while the inevitable events transpired.

(POV change)

Iruka sighed in relief as he approached his desk.

The desk was made of wood and had a central drawer, flanked by the legs of the table, three drawers attached to the side legs. His chair was also made of wood and had no cushion. The chairs legs were reinforced by beams attaching the four legs in a square. The legs also were reinforced by an "X" shape, created by attaching opposite legs by a supporting beam of wood.

Iruka sat at his desk, eating his odango as he graded the student's work. He was twirling his pen between two of his fingers when he dropped it. Iruka attempted to stand up in his chair to find that… he was stuck to the chair. The chair was also incredibly heavy for some reason. Iruka started to get annoyed as he struggled to get out of his chair.

(POV change)

Naruto's smile grew as he realized that the prank has begun and Iruka can't do anything about it. Naruto counted down the seconds before all hell broke loose.

"_3…2…1…and NOW!" _

Naruto's count was right on the money as the following sounds were heard throughout the academy building. A large explosion was heard as Iruka let out a large scream. A loud "Thunk" sound filled the air followed by a series of smaller "thunks" followed Iruka's scream. Two last sounds filled the air as Naruto fought to hold in his laughter. Another loud "thunk" was heard followed by an extremely loud and pain-filled groan from Iruka. Iruka said a small sentence that almost made Naruto lose it. Naruto, noticing approaching footsteps, immediately ran out of the building. He then collapsed into a fit of laughter as he stood up and jogged home, Naruto's laughter being heard across the village the entire time.

(POV change, a little earlier than the end of the last scene)

Iruka, who was suspended from the wall, immobile and in pain, was only able to say one thing. Even then, it was in pain-filled gasps.

"What…the hell…happened?" Iruka managed to say while unable to attempt to ease the pain from his… lower area.

Teachers rushed in a moment later to see a very amusing scene. Iruka was apparently glued to a chair while being suspended on the wall. An odango stick was embedded into the wall about 3 millimeters away from each of Iruka's ears. Iruka was obviously in a great deal of pain as he turned, with difficulty towards them.

Iruka's desk was in shambles. The desk seems to have exploded from the inside, spreading its contents across the room. The desk was burnt beyond repair, as was the surrounding floor area. Two sets of weights were also found in front of the ruined desk. A slightly-charred plastic plate was also on the floor, to the left of the scorched desk.

Iruka spoke to the teachers, who seemed to be trying, and failing, to hold in their laughter. "Well, are you going to help me, or not?" Iruka said through clenched teeth.

The teachers snapped out of their respective trances and started to help the enraged Iruka off the wall.

(The next day)

Iruka was still a little steamed about the predicament he was placed into yesterday. Who am I kidding; He was pissed! Iruka was also extremely confused about the whole deal. The proof was still there. The scorched desk had not been replaced and the floor was still charred. Remains of Iruka's clothes from yesterday could be seen on the chair if one were to look hard enough. If one were to look closely at the wall, the holes in which the kunai and odango sticks were stuck into still remained, mocking Iruka and reminding him of the incredibly embarrassing and painful experience.

The students filed in shortly afterward. There was not one who did not notice the charred remains of the educator's desk, but they did not question Iruka since they also noticed the anger rolling off Iruka, almost palpable. A few students figured that this was the result of an extremely funny prank with Iruka acting as the target. Those students either smirked or snickered under their desks, not wanting to get on Iruka's bad side today. Those students also did not know how right they were.

Naruto then walked into the room to find the remnants of his first prank on display for everyone to see. He was instantly reminded of last night's… events, and burst into laughter in front of the class. Iruka instantly became enraged as the "demon" was laughing about something he was positive no student saw.

Gears turned in Iruka's head as he thought of who could be the perpetrator of such a horrendous prank. _"Naruto was among the last people out yesterday, but this prank was so well done. He couldn't have done it. But if he didn't do it, who did? The fact that he is laughing about it suggests something. Also, that damn fox is in him so he is the obvious choice. Even if he isn't the one, I'll punish him anyway_." Iruka thought with an evil smile.

"Naruto?" Iruka said with both an evil tone and a glint I his eyes. "Can you come here, please?" Iruka led Naruto by the ear into the back room.

(POV change, in the classroom)

The class heard a very loud argument between Iruka and Naruto. From what they can tell, Naruto was telling Iruka that he was not the cause of the destruction of the desk and Iruka was yelling back saying he was the cause of it and Naruto was going to clean up the room for doing so. The heated discussion lasted about 5 minutes until the class heard a loud "smack" sound. Naruto emerged from the room with a very visible bump and Iruka stood close behind, his hand in a fist. Naruto only went back to his seat, glaring daggers at his _sensei_. He was also grumbling something about "stupid teacher,can't take a joke."The lesson began, most of the class believing Iruka in saying that Naruto blew up Iruka's desk and leaving it at that. Only a few people thought otherwise. Hinata believed Naruto in the sense that he did not do it. The more observant class members, Shino and Shikamaru knew Naruto did it, but they were confused about how Naruto could pull it off. They also noticed the various holes in the wall in the shape of Iruka's body so they figured that Iruka was pinned up there. They were also among the few that noticed the clothing remains on the chair. The two observant boys also figured that Iruka was glued to the chair. Also, Iruka was walking oddly, slightly limping, today which suggested an injury to something near the legs. The two boys thought exactly the same thing.

"_Who is this Uzumaki Naruto?"_

(End Chapter)

A/N: So, what do you think? Did I make use of my materials, or what? I personally loved it. Now, I want your opinion.

I like reviews. I like reviews. I like reviews. I like reviews. I like reviews.

Please Review!

Completed Chapter: June 6, 2006


	6. Chapter 5: Stress

A/N: Hello everybody! Do you know flying over your bike's handlebars is fun? I mean, really fun. I mean, really, really fun. It was all "WHOOSH" and then "CRASH" and I liked it a lot. Can I do it again? Handlebar flying is cool. Not that I recommend it. I was wearing a helmet at the time so I was perfectly safe. WHEEEE!

Anyway, I'm back with the next installment. I'm kind of hyper right now and I'm trying to snap out of it by typing the next chapter. My profile was updated last chapter and now I'm a little more open. Not enough to give you my gender and full birth date, but still enough to give you a vague description of where I'm from. I'M AMERICAN AND PROUD OF IT! No offense to readers from other countries. I just have a lot of pride for my country. I don't really agree with what we're doing in the Middle East, but I generally like where I live.

Here are the responses to the reviews.

**Demon of Konoha: **I know; that's the perk of Naru/Hina fics. Instead of saying, "Does he/she love me back?" you ask, "How do we deal with my prick of a father?" or "How do I tell you my greatest secret?" That is one of the reasons I like Naru/Hina fics so much. In some cases, you have both types of questions on your hands. I mean, Hinata won't have a clue when Naruto truly falls in love with her because he masks his feelings so well. Also, Naruto would be too busy trying to figure out how to tell her to notice that she is shyly returning the feelings. When they get together, the story continues with internal conflict on both sides along with external conflict from the pricks who don't necessarily like the "demon" being happy, and Hinata's disapproving father; with "disapproving" being a grave understatement. I am going to really enjoy writing this. Hopefully, this doesn't start to feel like a chore instead of a hobby.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo:** Okay, calm down, please. If you hadn't noticed, Shino is one of the two people in the class that actually see Naruto differently. Shikamaru and Shino are going to have a talk with him about this pretty soon. Also, no problem, I like to have feedback and I'm sure you do, too. I started to publicly respond to the reviews because I like to respond to people. I mean, you people aren't just words or numbers on the screen, aren't you?

**LoveDetermination:** I know; I like to type these things up. I don't update quickly because my reviewers tell me to, I update quickly because I want to. If I get overworked, I will stop for a few days, depending on the situation; then I'll jump right back in. I really like doing this once I get started. I also know what it's like to be in your shoes; waiting in vain for a new chapter doesn't seem too appealing to me. Also, do you really think so? I mean, I only thought of this a few days ago and I like doing it, but am I actually being good at it? Wow, thanks; I'm honored.

**Dragon Man 180: **To tell you the truth, that is the only way Naruto can take the blame. Since he's the only prankster, he's the only suspect; therefore, he gets the punishment. Naruto's "condition" doesn't help him very much, either. Also, I need to formally introduce Uchiha Sasuke as a prick before Naruto comes up with a clever prank. As for the hair and clothes thing, I've seen them both before, meaning I'll have to come up with something more creative. ; )

**Dilandau-Baka: **If they pulled stunts like that in your school, I would love to see it, especially if the rules in Naruto apply to the real world. Chakra and kunai flying everywhere you step; that would be absolutely fun (if you don't get hit).

**Underdark Ranger: **That is what I'm planning. I think Iruka didn't have a good chance to think about Naruto until the Mizuki incident. I think that Naruto will improve in a big way. Traps will only make this funnier, trust me. I think I'll do it! By the way, what's CANNON?

**Samurai-lapin: **Glad you like the story. I like it and I'm making it up as I go along.

**Kitsu Maharu:** Okay, bad grammar; do you know that you sound just like a friend of mine?

I like reviews. Thanks for the reviews. I like reviews.

Did I mention that last chapter's prank is my current masterpiece? I am not a prankster and that one just came to me one day a few hours after I typed down the materials. I need more ideas

Enjoy the sixth installment if "Cheerfulness Incarnate" Enjoy the Show!

(Chapter Begins, 3 years later)

Naruto pondered quietly as Iruka gave his extremely boring lesson. Naruto was glad he read this at home; it gave him the time to think about what to do to sustain his façade. Keeping it up isn't exactly he easiest thing in the world. Being what you aren't only brings trouble when you truly decide to let your true self out. Naruto has basically been keeping up the mask every hour of every day for the past three years. Naruto has already pulled a number of pranks on the populace of Konoha to keep his disguise constant. He snapped back into reality as Iruka said a statement regarding the next assignment.

"We are studying bloodlines starting tomorrow so I want you to go home and ask your parents about your family line. I want each of you to create a family tree leading back at least four generations. I want a description of each of your ancestors and their special abilities, if any. This is due…"

Naruto stared impassively as he spaced out, pondering this new concept. _"Four generations back? I can't even trace my family history one generation back, let alone four! How the heck am I supposed to do this?" _Naruto started to glare daggers towards Iruka as the bell rang signaling break. Naruto left, never taking his eyes off Iruka as he left the room. Naruto's eyes shone with utter disgust for the teacher.

(Scene change, outside)

Naruto sat outside on his favorite swing watching the children outside. Even if Naruto couldn't trace his own family history, he had a vague idea about each of his fellow classmates. His classmates do not know about his data gathering but he reviewed the data as his eyes swept the playground.

He looked across the playground to see a pink-haired girl dressed in a red dress with slits down the sides. _"Haruno Sakura; age 9; she has a tendency to be very violent when she doesn't get her way. Her once best friend and now greatest rival is Yamanaka Ino. She is a member of the Uchiha Sasuke fan club. She is deemed my not-so-secret "crush" to further hide my true identity._

He then looked at a purple-clad, blonde girl as thought up the next profile. Currently, Sakura and Ino were giving each other death-glares for some demented reason. _"Yamanaka Ino; age 9; she is a member of the Yamanaka clan; a family that specializes in techniques that control and affect the mind. She is similar to Sakura in the sense that both can become very violent when things do not go as she planned. She was best friends with Haruno Sakura and is now participating in a rivalry concerning the love of the ever-popular Uchiha Sasuke. She is a member of the Uchiha Sasuke fan club. Her family is associated with both the Akamichi clan and the Nara clan."_

After that, he looked towards another corner of the playground as he saw a boy and his dog; playing in the field. The boy was dressed in a gray, hooded jacket and had nails that seemed to look like claws. The dog was a white color with a brownish discoloration due to a dirty coat. _"Inuzuka Kiba; age 9; he is a member of the Inuzuka clan; a clan who has an affinity with dogs. He uses his ninken, Akamaru, in combination with his family's ninja arts. He is usually loud and hyperactive, similar to my disguise; the difference being his is real while mine is a fake. He can be found "walking" Akamaru in the forest on the weekends."_

He then looked over to see two figures next to a tree. One was lying on the grass, focusing on nothing in particular, except the clouds in the sky. The other was propped up against the tree, holding a bag of potato chips and eating them as he spoke between bites and swallowing. The figure lying on the ground wore a mesh top and a brown pair of pants. On top of the mesh top, he wore a gray jacket-like cloth. The other boy was dressed in a green top with the kanji character for "eat" on the front. They were having a discussion about something in particular but Naruto didn't care to find out._ "Nara Shikamaru; age 9; he is a member of the Nara clan; a clan who has the ability to control shadows. His family is associated with both the Yamanaka and the Akamichi clans. He is very lazy and claims that most things are too "troublesome" to do. He is observant of many small details and he can develop strategies when needed. He enjoys playing board games such as go or shogi. His best friend is Akamichi Chouji. His favorite hobby seems to be cloud-watching. His grades are similar to mine, but he is much smarter than his grades say. _

"_Akamichi Chouji; age 9; he is a member of the Akamichi clan; a clan who uses their body's mass and shape as a weapon. His family is associated with both the Nara and the Yamanaka clans. He is constantly hungry and can always be seen eating a bag of potato chips. He is somewhat chubby and is offended greatly when someone calls him "fat." His best friend is Nara Shikamaru."_

Naruto then looked over to another tree to see a boy in a high-collared jacket. The boy is also wearing sunglasses to hide his eyes from view. He is currently examining something on the tree, which Naruto assumes to be a bug. _"Aburame Shino; age 9; he is a member of the Aburame clan; a clan who implants kikai beetles into their children to give the clan an affinity with bugs. He seems to enjoy collecting and studying certain bugs. He can "talk" to other bugs while controlling the ones he has in his body. He is not truly a sociable person, but he is observant and seems to notice everything. When one strikes a conversation with him, he does not say much more than a few words. He is a mysterious person."_

Naruto then took a look up into a nearby building. He saw Uchiha Sasuke, eating an apple as he gazed, emotionlessly, out the window. He was wearing a blue jacket with a red and white paper fan on it. _"Uchiha Sasuke; age 9; he is member of the nearly extinct Uchiha clan. They were a clan with the kekkei genkai, Sharingan. The Sharingan must be activated by the clan member and Sasuke has yet to activate his own. The Sharingan has not been discussed much, but it is rumored to be able to copy any technique that requires hand-seals. The entire clan was massacred by the prodigal son, Uchiha Itachi for some reason. Since then, Sasuke has been a royal prick and feels everyone is inferior. He has a fan club named in his honor which contains most of the female student body."_

The academy door opened to reveal one of Naruto's friends, Hyuuga Hinata. She was dressed in blue pants and a large light lavender jacket. _"Hyuuga Hinata-san; age 9; she is a member of the most prestigious clan in Konoha, the Hyuuga clan. The clan is revered for their kekkei genkai, the Byakugan. I haven't gotten much information about the Byakugan. Hinata is my only friend and she has seen more of the "true" me than anyone else. She is terribly shy and stutters constantly. She is also the only female that is not a member of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club." _

Naruto then smiled, standing from his position, he walked over to Hinata only to have the bell ring, signaling the beginning of class. Naruto automatically headed to his seat at the back of the room, seating himself as Iruka began the afternoon lesson. Naruto, not knowing the details of some of the bloodlines, actually paid attention.

"There are many kekkei genkais within Konoha. The two most well-known bloodlines are the Sharingan and the Byakugan.

"The Sharingan has the ability to copy any technique that requires hand-seals to perform. This means that techniques not requiring hand-seals and techniques that are mastered to the point that hand-seals are not necessary cannot be copied. The Sharingan is able to hypnotize opponents slightly and allows its wielder to control the opponent's mind, if only slightly. The Sharingan has an advanced form which is unknown to all except the members of the Uchiha clan.

"The Byakugan has the ability to see in all 360 degrees, granting the wielder advanced sight. The Byakugan has the ability to see the tenketsu on you chakra system to halt chakra flow to a certain area. The Juuken fighting style is derived from the use of the Byakugan. Even a touch from a user of this style can be very dangerous since the attacks impact the internal organs of the wielder's target. Certain advanced Taijutsu techniques are also derived from the Byakugan. These techniques can completely halt chakra flow inside the body, rendering the target virtually useless in battle."

Naruto, noticing that Iruka had stopped, then took the information and stored it away. Naruto then acted like he usually did during Iruka's lessons. At this moment, Naruto was feigning sleep as Iruka caught sight of him.

"NARUTO! WAKE UP!"

Naruto then pretended to be shaken from a sound slumber as he "awakened." Naruto then looked around, groggily, while faking the entire process. The bell then rang, allowing the students to go home for the day. The other students rushed out of the room as Naruto sleepily walked out of the room, crashing into the doorframe in the process. Naruto heard a muttered "baka" as he continued his extremely convincing act. Once again, four eyes stared at him, puzzled by Naruto's actions.

(Scene change, a little later)

Naruto sat in his apartment reading hiss textbook on what he thought Iruka would teach during the next lesson. Naruto's apartment had three major rooms. The first major room was his bedroom, which was connected to the bathroom and the second major room. The second room was his living room, which was surprisingly neat for a 9-year-old's apartment. The kitchen was an attachment to this room, the cupboards stocked with ramen and the refrigerator stocked with a few groceries. The third room was his storage room which contained all Naruto's prank materials.

Naruto was very intelligent but he did not like to show it, afraid that he might have to reveal more if he even tried to reveal even the tiniest detail about himself. Naruto left the façade at his bedside, ready to be used at a moment's notice in case somebody were to rudely walk into his apartment. After securing the disguise, "Naruto" would beat the living crap out of the intruder.

Naruto, finished with his daily study, started to think about the ways to pay back Iruka for requiring him to do such an unfair assignment. He then thought of an idea. He snickered to himself and picked a few materials from his prank storage and went off to strike back at his teacher.

(The next day)

The village of Konoha was silent, slowly waking up into a new day. It is then an ear-piercing scream filled the air, instantly waking all the citizens in a half-mile radius. The center of this circle didn't seem too special, on the outside. The school, which happened to be the center of the circle and the source of the scream, looked exactly the same as it always does. A teacher named Umino Iruka caused the ear-splitting scream as other teachers came out to see what was going on. Iruka was already extremely late and he arrived hours later than he usually did. His bad day seemed to go from bad to worse as soon as he arrived at the school. Iruka screamed as soon as he stepped into his classroom to prepare for the lesson. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. His next scream was also heard a few seconds later.

"NARUTO!"

(POV change)

Naruto was blessed with an extremely powerful sneeze. He was walking though the forest alongside the village. Naruto wasn't planning to go to class today. Naruto walked in the forest because it seemed to calm Naruto down significantly. Here, he could definitely let the smile slip a little bit and let his stress out.

He walked into a clearing with surrounding trees and shrubs. Naruto sighed contently as he sat laid down and watched the sky. He saw the clouds pass by, fluffy and free up in the vast blue sky. Naruto's built up tension seemed to seep into the earth as he gazed blankly in the sky. He chuckled as he thought about his actions and a certain lazy academy student. His eyes began to droop shortly after and he drifted into a deep slumber.

Naruto woke up a little while later. By the position of the sun before and after his nap, Naruto concluded that he was asleep for about 3 hours. He started to head back to the village to eat lunch and see the fruits of his labor. As he walked, he gradually placed the pieces of his mask back into place. By the time he saw the village through the trees, his costume was back in place. As soon as stepped off of the dirt of the forest onto the stone of the street, a voice called out.

"There he is! Get him!"

Naruto looked behind him to see a chuunin pointing at him and calling into the sky. Naruto instantly smiled and began to run. Behind him, Naruto can see about 3 chuunin and 2 jounin coming after him. They were getting closer after every step. Naruto noticed this and formed three hand-seals; the Hare, the Ram, and the Bird. One chuunin dived forward, attempting to pin down the infamous prankster. He was extremely surprised to note that he fell through the prankster's body and hit the ground with a loud "SMACK." Naruto then stopped and turned around, grinning at the shinobi that was sent after him. Naruto was entertained by the group as they made numerous futile attempts to grab the loud academy student. They landed in a large heap inside of Naruto's silhouette. Naruto laughed and ran off releasing his technique. He stopped near his house, saying one thing as he stopped.

"That was too easy."

"Oh, was it, Naruto?"

Naruto looked shocked as he did a quick seal and turned around. There, standing in front of his apartment, was Iruka, looking pretty mad as he grabbed his ear and dragged him to the academy.

(At the academy…)

Iruka continued to lead Naruto by the ear to his classroom. Naruto screamed in protest as he thought about his trick. _"You must be one lousy ninja if you can't detect this one, Iruka-sensei. I mean, I'm pretty sure that a few students detected this as soon as they walked in. I knew you were bad since the first day, but this is ridiculous! Now, Iruka-sensei, you are going to pay for it."_

Iruka and Naruto reached the classroom and Iruka opened the door to see…

(POV change)

That the room was perfectly fine, not a speck of pink to be seen. Iruka stared in shock as Naruto restarted his protests.

"You were saying, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto said smugly with a hint of anger. Iruka just stared impassively as he recalled the events of the day.

(Flashback)

Students filed in as he grumbled to wash off the paint, armed with a scrubber and a bucket. Most of the students were instantly blinded by the wave of color from the pink room. A few people's reactions caught his attention. The Haruno looked annoyed as she compared the room's color with the color of her hair. The Yamanaka laughed heartily at her rival's reaction to the color of the room. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow at the color and traversed to his seat, which was also colored pink. The Hyuuga widened her eyes in surprise before covering her mouth as she gasped. The Akamichi almost dropped his bag of chips as he walked in, a chip halfway to his mouth. The Inuzuka began to snicker as he went to his seat. The Nara muttered a quick "troublesome" before heading towards his seat. The Aburame came in, raised an eyebrow, and slowly went to his seat, sitting down as he remained silent. The other students rushed out of the room shortly after coming in. The reasons behind the retreat were either laughter or blindness. Iruka furrowed his brow as he threw the scrubber into the bucket and starting his day.

(End Flashback)

Naruto started to walk away as Iruka grabbed him again.

"Naruto! Get back here!"

Calmly, Naruto turned around and asked a single question.

"Why? I have no reason to be here right now. I'm going home." Naruto turned around again and walked away, leaving an extremely confused Iruka next to his open door.

(End Chapter)

Translations:

Shogi: Japanese Chess

Kekkei genkai: Bloodline limits such as Byakugan and Sharingan.

Sharingan: Mirror Wheel Eye

Byakugan: Literally "White Eye." In the manga, it's "Evil Eye"

Baka: Idiot, Moron, etc.

(End Translations)

A/N: This is my attempt at a longer chapter. It took twice as long and the final exams at my school do not really help much. I'm sorry it sucks. I'm sure this chapter is very bad compared to my others. I hope you like the next one. It will be a continuation of this time frame with Naruto and the others still 9 years old. I made Naruto extremely smart and the promised confrontation between the observant ones and Naruto will be in the next chapter. I just couldn't make the events click together enough to let it happen. By the way, if you're wondering about the clothing that the rookie nine is wearing, I took the actual clothing that they wear when they were older and described those sets of clothing. I'm sorry. Another thing, Iruka is still a prick to Naruto and he still pranks him to pay him back. My hyperactivity has worn off and I'm a little tired. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned until next time!

-omegaguardian


	7. Chapter 6: Confusion

A/N: Okay, I'm back to normal now that it's the weekend again. I'm sorry my last chapter took so long, but I was trying to make a longer chapter. I'm also sorry that you can't get too much information on me. Once I get the confidence, I'll update my profile. Anyway, I'm glad that you guys liked my sixth chapter, even if I thought it sucked. Here are my review responses! I love doing this.

**Samurai-lapin: **I'm glad you like it. Like I said, I love responding to people who actually put in the effort to review. It's kind of like rewarding a person's words with more words for them if you think about it. This is basically like a conversation that is sustained as long as I keep up the story.

**Underdark Ranger: **OH, okay, I get it. Thanks for your response. I've been seeing this everywhere without knowing what it means.

**Dragon Man 180: **Naruto might find out the secret of his family sometime in later chapters, but I'm not planning for him to find out anytime soon. My next shot would be to get him to graduate from the academy. By the way, GREAT IDEA! I was thinking about a different target though.

**Yared: **Glad you like it. What exactly made you laugh, may I ask?

I like reviews even if it's only one. I dance for reviews. (Imagine a chibi me dancing)

Anyway, enjoy the seventh installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. Anyone who says so will have to consult my friend Tommy, the ferocious black tiger. Come on, I dare you to say I own Naruto.

(Chapter starts)

Naruto came back to school the next day, slightly cheerful due to his day off. He was also still laughing about the elaborate trick he pulled on Iruka. It still surprised him that he couldn't detect a simple genjutsu technique but it worked to his advantage. _"Maybe that's why he became a school teacher instead of a full –fledged shinobi." _Naruto thought as he walked into class. As soon as he walked in he was greeted by a visibly annoyed Iruka. He chuckled slightly as he took his seat at the back of the room.

The lesson proceeded as usual. Everyone was paying some sort of attention, save for a few. Naruto's prediction about the lesson was correct as he laid his head down and dozed off. Shikamaru joined him soon after realizing that the lesson was too troublesome. Both of them were yelled at during the lesson numerous times, Naruto acting stupid after he was woken each time then slipping back into a slumber and Shikamaru not responding to the chalkboard erasers thrown at him. The bell rang, waking both with a start as they filed out of the room.

Naruto went to his usual spot, the swing, to see two figures looking at him. One of them was his lazy classmate and the other was dressed in a high-collared jacket. Naruto instantly reinforced his disguise and walked over.

"Hey guys! What's up?"

"Okay, Naruto, explain" was the only response to his greeting.

"Explain?" Naruto asked, clearly confused, on the outside. On the inside, he was sweating buckets, running in circles panicking, muttering words around the lines of, "Oh God, please don't tell me they figured it out!"

"We know you're smarter than you look. That genjutsu yesterday was the last thing we needed to know. It was just too troublesome to do anything about it, especially since you weren't there."

Naruto still looked confused while on the inside, his nervousness had increased tenfold. His words contradicted his thoughts as he spoke again.

"Huh? What do you mean, Shikamaru-san?"

"I mean, you're hiding something, and we want to know what. If you don't want to tell us, it's fine. It will probably be too troublesome to try to wrench it out of you." Shikamaru left and Naruto inwardly let out a sigh of relief.

"Naruto" Naruto was then reminded of another presence as he turned and saw Shino.

"Hai, Shino-san?"

"Don't overdo things."

Naruto was slightly confused as Shino turned and started to walk back to the class. Naruto then outwardly sighed as he finally was able to sit on his swing.

(POV change, during the confrontation)

Sakura and Ino were talking by another tree as they watched Shikamaru and Shino talk to Naruto.

"What are they talking about?" Ino asked.

"How should I know?" Sakura replied shortly.

"Better yet, why are the laziest student and the quietest student talking to Naruto?"

"Now, that is a question. I don't really know."

"I mean, what would they talk to him about? Naruto is just a cheerful, naïve, idiot who likes to pull pranks and get into trouble. He's not anything special. It's not all that surprising to see him without any friends."

"Isn't Hinata-san Naruto's friend? He does have a friend, but he only has one. I wonder what his problem is."

"You don't need to look very hard. Naruto is the easiest person to read. If he has a problem, you can basically read it off of his face. I mean, right now, it's obvious that Naruto is confused about something.

They looked over to see Naruto's obviously confused expression.

"He's probably going to be killed on his first mission; especially because of his loud voice and equally loud clothes." Sakura said. She looked over to see Ino's affirmative nod. They saw Shino and Shikamaru walk away and Naruto sat on his swing with a relieved expression. They both thought the same thing.

"_What did they talk about?"_

(POV change, Scene change)

Back in the classroom, Naruto glared at Iruka. Everyone was presenting their projects and he knew what would happen. Naruto would be skipped over and someone would point out that he was excluded and demand that he present something. Then, as promised, it happened.

"Yamanaka Ino, your turn. Present your project."

She got up with her poster and started to present her project to the class. Naruto spaced out, already aware of the information that she was giving. After she was done, Naruto was forced back into reality as Kiba's voice filled the air.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei! Naruto didn't present yet. It's not fair to make us present and not him." Kiba said with annoyance in his voice. The class shouted agreements as Iruka looked up at Naruto with an apologetic expression. This surprised Naruto extremely as Naruto gazed back, confusion clouding his eyes.

"Alright then, Naruto, can you present anything?" Iruka expected him to stay down but was visually surprised as Naruto got up with nothing in hand. He walked to the front of the room and drew in a breath, as if to speak. The students present sat on the edge of their seats since no one knew about Naruto's family. The breath, to them, seemed to stretch on to eternity as they waited in anticipation. Iruka was still in a mild state of shock. The breath ended to have Naruto say one statement.

"What's a family?" Naruto asked with a smile and a questioning expression.

Nobody could answer him. All of the people present had at least had a family for some amount of time.Most of the students still had their families.Some people's families were killed or they died of natural causes, but they at least have memories of a family. People stared with their jaws on the table as Naruto stood in front of the classroom. The class hadn't been this shocked since the first day when Naruto revealed his first secret. That one question giving the reason why he couldn't give a presentation, but that question raised so many others.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The bell knocked everyone out of their stupor, but by the time they tried to ask questions, all they could see in front of them was a dust cloud shaped like the blonde boy.

The students searched all afternoon, determined to find Naruto and ask him what he meant. That question obviously baffled the students and only four people did not help in the search. Shikamaru was sitting at the base of a tree with Chouji at his side, looking up to the sky. Shino went home after the bell, and Hinata went home under the escort of a Hyuuga Branch member, thinking about Naruto's response. Naruto smirked as he hid up inside a tree, holding his hands in the seal of the Bird.

When everyone left, Shikamaru stood and walked to the next tree and looked up. He then said one sentence. Chouji only looked confused as Shikamaru stood and walked only about 5 feet.

"You can come out now, Naruto."

Naruto jumped down, scaring the heck out of Chouji. He then looked at the two boys, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Thanks, Shikamaru-san" Naruto said with an embarrassed chuckle. He then turned and vanished from sight. Chouji could only stare in confusion as Shikamaru smirked.

The next day, the school day proceeded as always, save for one small exception. Naruto had a couple few more friends that day as Hinata, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji were seen eating lunch together. Also, Naruto visibly looked more cheerful that day.

(End chapter)

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I would have connected this to the last one, but I was too tired to do so. Anyway, the next chapter will feature a time jump of 4 years. I hope you liked the chapter. I sure did. Please review. I like reviews a lot. Have a nice day everybody!

-omegaguardian


	8. Chapter 7: Chaos

A/N: I'm sorry I'm slowing down my update speed. There are a few reasons behind it. Firstly, I'm taking the advice of one of my reviewers and slowing down considerably to improve my story. Secondly, I'm encountering some… personal problems here at home and I'm a little annoyed by those… problems. Thirdly, it is finals week at school and I need to study. Fourthly, I am a member of a family of six with only one computer that can access the internet so I need to share it. Fifthly, I'm a little stressed by the above events/problems so I'm trying to calm myself down. I still will be writing this story, even though I may be slow on the updates. Lastly, as I mentioned a few chapters ago, I **do** have a life and I live it to the fullest while I'm still a teenager.

By the way, I hate the English version of "Naruto." The people who translated it did it all wrong. I realize that we're dealing with two different languages but the constant "Believe it!" shouts and the butchering of the Japanese word "Jutsu" really piss me off. The English version, in my opinion is just too annoying to watch so I just look at the manga or the Japanese version. Manga and anime are always a lot better in Japanese, if they are made in Japan.

Anyway, that's enough ranting from me, here are the review responses. By the way, I realize that there was a problem with the review option. I'm sorry if it caused you any trouble.

**Underdark Ranger: **You'll see a lot of Naruto's inner workings in this chapter, I promise you.

**Causeiambetta: **That is why I put them there. Naruto deserves to have some company, doesn't he?

**LoveDetermination: ** Iruka is becoming less like a prick towards Naruto as the story progresses. That is what I believe happened during the actual story. Also, Naruto is a lot more than he appears in the manga. At least, that is what I believe.

**Dilandau-Baka: **It wasn't supposed to be an excuse, but that is what it came out to be. This story is mostly a compilation of all my unpublished ideas in the past. I thought of this particular idea about a month ago. This question was supposed to make the other students think about their families. "What's a family?" is a simple question, but it is almost impossible to give an accurate response, especially if you are only 9 years old.

**Dragon Man 180: **The question, like I said, was supposed to make the students, and my readers think. Even I don't think I can answer that question accurately to a person who has never had a family. Also, like I said, Iruka is becoming less of a prick towards Naruto. He did not really want to force Naruto to go up there. If he did, he would have called Naruto up there himself. Instead, Iruka skipped Naruto entirely to spare him the embarrassment. Iruka was forced to call him when Kiba protested.

**Demon of Konoha: **I like the sticky room idea. Do you mind if I tweak it a little then use it? Also, **Dragon Man 180** already suggested the Oiroke no Jutsu combination with Iruka. Thanks for the review/suggestions. Watch carefully for your prank!

**Yared: **No, I will not be updating daily. I give my reasons at the beginning of this chapter.

**Joecool4: **I am going to keep the teams the same, but there will be some tweaking from this point onward. You will see some major changes that I can't exactly compare to the real thing because the changes don't occur in the real thing.

**Demon of Konoha (again): **THANK YOU! That is what I've been trying to convey to everyone. Naruto is **not** an idiot! I also agree with you in the socially inept theory. Naruto, without any exposure to friendship, is extremely inept in personal relations. Concepts such as love and friendship are alien to him since he was never exposed to it as a child. Remember, Naruto spent a year out in the streets scraping by with what he could find. Before that, he was in an orphanage that hated him for something he had absolutely no control over.

**Orozoni: **I agree. Naruto is not dumb, he just acts that way. Naruto is not ignorant, he just acts like it. Naruto is not naïve, he just acts like it. That is what this story is about.

**Anime-Boy07: **I warned you about Tommy. (Pulls Tommy off tattered form of **Anime-Boy07**) Now, please don't make that mistake again. I have more friends like Tommy here. Isn't that right, Tommy? (Tommy: purr)

**Kitsu Maharu: **Oh, is your tail okay? Are you okay? Do you two know each other (referring to **Dragon Man 180**)? Anyway, thanks for the reviews (Plural, she left two, like **Demon of Konoha**). I will try to make up for the lack of speed with a longer chapter. Also, you like cows, don't you?

**VenomLord:** Thanks for the PM! I realize that there were problems with the review system and I think it's fixed now. Also, I am thanking you for your advice. As you can probably tell, I am slowing down a little bit. I don't want my imagination to be too stressed, do I?

Yes, Tommy purrs. He can be very calm when he wants to be. He only attacks those who say I own things that I don't, like Naruto, for instance. I personally like to sleep on Tommy since his fur is so soft and fluffy. I also have a few other friends like Tommy here. Anyway, enjoy the next installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: As experienced by **Anine-Boy07**, don't say I own Naruto. Otherwise, my friend Jessie the red ox will trample upon your body. Don't think I'm kidding.

(Chapter Begins, 4 years after the last one)

Naruto woke up with a start, slightly groggy due to the rude, yet useful device placed not three inches from his left ear. Naruto remembered what day it was and quickly got ready. It was the day before the genin test. It was also about 2:00 in the morning. Naruto had one last thing to do before he left the accursed school. He picked up his scrolls which held a seal that summoned his prank materials and headed off to pull his most infamous prank yet. Although it would be very hard to beat the prank from last year which involved the teacher's lounge, glue, glitter, blue and pink paint, well placed genjutsu and a variety of traps. The student body still snickered about the incident and the faculty still cringes at the mere mention of it.

Naruto activates one of his new techniques and sneaks to his target area, invisible. He thinks about the things that the people did to him as he does his master prank. He deliberately passes by certain people's houses since some people were actually civil towards him. Armed with his various, modified prank materials, he created his masterpiece. He finished his deed and sealed his materials away inside the scrolls he brought. He then returned inside his home to await the chaos of the next morning. He smiled as he thought of his afternoon project. His eyes then drooped; sleep taking him to a world of nightmares, like always. It was 4:30 in the morning.

(POV change, later)

A few hours later, the village activity could be described in one word; chaotic. Everyone had trouble getting out of their homes. For some reason, all the doors and windows were glued shut. Certain ninja had to fend for their lives inside their own home, traps plaguing their every move. Most of the villagers were unable to get out of their homes. The ninja were annoyed greatly since their teleportation techniques only carried them to the next room. The streets were calm as only a few figures traversed upon it. Shino, Chouji, Hinata, and Shikamaru walked around their respective parts of the city, only able to contain their immense laughter as people tried everything to get out of their homes. Sandaime Hokage laughed heartily as he let a few ANBU do their job. Although, the ANBU were much different than they were on a normal day. For example, one ANBU was painted all the colors of the rainbow, his mask being an exception. Another ANBU was unfortunate enough to have a turtle shell made of rock glued on his back. A third ANBU was obviously the victim of a classic tar-and-feather gag. Ironically, this ANBU's mask was that of a chicken. The deformed ANBU attempted to break the glue that was placed on the doors and windows as some chuunin and jounin broke the genjutsu in the shinobi's homes.

Hours later, the normal village activity continued. The only difference was that the traps that were set inside the homes still were active and the pranks involving paint, glue or other art supplies were not coming off the skin of the villagers. In other words, the people of Konoha looked extremely annoyed and seriously odd since such pranks were set in all affected houses. Only the Nara family, the Akamichi family and the Aburame family remained unharmed. The Hyuuga family was given a prank worthy of their status, the exception being Hyuuga Hinata, who mysteriously emerged unharmed from the chaos of the Hyuuga estate. Every other student was the victim of some prank inside their home. Some students were unfortunate enough to get hit by two or more pranks at once so those students came to school as rainbow chickens or the like.

The students were assembled inside the classroom, awaiting the time when the various, modified art materials would wear off. Iruka walked inside the room wearing a large cone-shaped hat which read "Dunce." He was also wearing enough makeup to make him look like a girl, and he did. Miss Umino looked around to see that his students shared a similar fate, the exceptions sitting in the back, chuckling softly.

(Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the village)

Naruto lay on the grass of his favorite forest area and thought about what he usually thought.

"_Why do they hate me? Sure, I gave them plenty of pranks but they never really hurt anybody…much. Anyway, I was hated even before I decided to prank everyone who hurt me. Even now, 8 years later, I ask, why? I never did anything to deserve this. I shouldn't have to be out here every so often just so I don't crack in front of everyone. Nobody has given me the opportunity to live normal life. Hokage-oji-san has tried, but it's still not enough. I appreciate what he did, but it still hurts. Hinata-san, Shikamaru-san, and Chouji-san help a little bit, but they can't replace a true family. That is my one true wish. That is a wish that I desire more than being Hokage. I wish… for a true family. I want a family that loves me for being me; a family that cares if I get hurt. Unfortunately, that is a wish that I think will never come true."_

Naruto noticed tears running down his face and quickly wiped them away. _"You must not cry. You quit crying 7 years ago! You promised that you would not cry! You must keep that promise!"_

Naruto sighed sadly as he stopped crying. Nobody has ever seen his tears and, if he could help it, nobody ever will. Naruto checked his makeshift clock as he sighed again. Everything he owned was a reminder of his terrible life. He stood as he walked out of the clearing, placing his costume back on his body, piece by piece. When he finished, he did three seals and vanished. He charged chakra into his feet and walked upon the rock faces. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a scroll, similar to the one he used that very morning. He summoned paint to paint all over the faces of the previous Hokage. He remembered the actions of the Third and Fourth so he held back on the obscenities on their faces. Every stoke he made seemed to disappear as the placed a genjutsu over them. He finished about 30 minutes later and jumped off the monument to the roof of another house. He then released the technique he placed on himself and the genjutsu he placed on the mountain.

Everyone looked up as the light shimmered around the Hokage monument to reveal graffiti all over the faces of the Hokage. Shinobi had their mouths on the nearest solid object as they looked upward. Immediately, Naruto saw the results of his first prank as a zebra and a sea urchin started to give chase to the young genin-to-be. He laughed heartily as he sealed his materials away. The ninja drew closer as Naruto began to perform some seals. When they were about 3 feet away, Naruto swung his arms backward, sending a gust of wind backward. Naruto flew forward as a new species of flying zebra and an air urchin was born. Naruto performed another set of seals, sending a clone into existence right in front of him. By this time, the two animals/ninja had recovered and began to give chase to Naruto. They passed a wooden fence as Naruto touched down and jumped away. The ninja animals followed closely as they passed the fence without a second glance.

Naruto then emerged from the fence saying one thing.

"That was too easy."

"Was it, Naruto?" a voice asked from behind him.

Naruto turned around only to burst out laughing. Iruka was standing behind him with a very annoyed expression on his face. Iruka dragged the hysterical boy to the classroom. As soon as they got there, Naruto burst out in laughter again, gaining the glares of everyone present. A few of the new fashions caught his interest. Inuzuka Kiba looked like an orange cat. On the top of his hooded jacket, which was glued to the top of his head, was a pair of cat ears which Akamaru bit fiercely. He also had black stripes along his orange skin. Haruno Sakura was green from head to toe. The color of her eyes matched the color of her skin. Uchiha Sasuke was purple with white stamps on his skin, some reading, "Moron" and "Dobe." All the above people wore extremely annoyed expressions, seeing that the prank was made specifically for them.

Iruka made everyone practice Henge no Jutsu in class, "Since Naruto missed it." Everyone was able to do a perfect replication of Iruka. Some even copied the dunce hat and makeup. When it was Naruto's turn, he did something different. Iruka was thrown back with a nosebleed as Naruto changed back.

"How do you like my Oiroke no Jutsu, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto said, laughing at his somewhat incapacitated teacher. Iruka jumped back and yelled at him.

"Don't invent stupid skills, baka!"

The rest of the class progressed smoothly, his friends congratulating him on the massive prank against the village. They also thanked him for not including their families in their prank, though Hinata seemed a little more cheerful that day.

Naruto spent the next two hours after school cleaning the Hokage monument. They still weren't able to pin the "village makeover" prank on Naruto so he wasn't punished. Naruto seemed incredibly annoyed as he finished. His stomach growled loudly as he stared at Iruka with eyes full of spite. The eyes were emptied then filled with a thankful expression as Iruka offered to treat him to Ramen. Even if he doesn't fully trust him, Naruto seemed to grow on Iruka.

"Ne, ne, Iruka-sensei, can I ask you a question?"

"Do you want another bowl of ramen?"

"Yes, but I also wanted to ask you something else."

"Nan deska, Naruto."

"Can I try on your hitai-ite, onegaishimasu?" Naruto asked, pleading.

"Iie, Naruto, you can't wear one of these until you graduate tomorrow. Gomen."

Naruto gave up at that point and continued to eat his thirteenth bowl of ramen. Iruka then walked Naruto home, sending Naruto to get ready for tomorrow's exams.

(POV change)

Naruto entered his apartment as he took off his costume. Sure, he could let it become a little loose around his friends and Iruka, but it still stressed him to keep it up, even slightly. Keeping it up is like wearing a large set of weights on his heart. Sure, Naruto wore real weights on his body, but these weights really wear him out during the day. He was extremely tired from the massive prank that day so he immediately changed and went to bed, exhausted.

(The Next Day)

Naruto was nervous. He knew that he wasn't stupid, but it was his nervousness that kept him from passing the genin exam. He always froze on the written exam, his mind went blank during the taijutsu exam, and he couldn't focus enough to do the Bunshin no Jutsu, the technique he was worst at. Sure, Naruto could do it, but he couldn't concentrate with that kind of pressure on him. Naruto barely passed the written and Taijutsu exams and he was now in the ninjutsu exam. He had to do the Bunshin no Jutsu.

Naruto focused a lot of chakra and attempted to do the technique. He basically shouted the name of the technique. "BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

A large puff of smoke appeared and cleared to see Naruto with a half-dead clone beside him. Naruto looked miserable as Iruka basically shouted, "YOU FAIL!"

"Iruka, maybe we should let him pass. He did make a clone."

"No, Mizuki, all the others made at least three useful clones. Naruto's couldn't do anything.

(Later 3rd person POV)

Naruto sat outside on his favorite swing. He saw the graduating class being congratulated and felt a pang in his heart. He looked sadly onward as he knew that would never happen to him.

Two people stood just outside his hearing range. They spoke softly as to not raise alarm.

"It's a good thing they didn't let him pass. There's no telling what will happen if he becomes a shinobi. I mean, he's the de…"

She was interrupted by the other person. "You know saying that is forbidden. Also, I know what you mean. That would be disastrous."

Naruto looked upward to see Mizuki in the tree.

"Naruto, Iruka's only trying to be mean to you. I'll show you a way to pass." Mizuki then ran off signaling for Naruto to follow him. Naruto followed readily, ready to do just about anything to pass.

(Later)

Sarutobi walked around his home that night. He enjoyed doing this to calm the nerves and think about what he can do for the village. He then spotted a shadow. He walked towards it to see a blonde boy holding a large scroll. Knowing only one blonde boy that age, he made his presence known.

"Naruto, what are you doing here?" He asked in a kind voice.

Naruto looked shocked as he began to speak. Take this, Jiji! Uzumaki Naruto Jutsu no Ougi! Oiroke no Jutsu!

Sarutobi saw a nude blonde female in front of him and quickly reacted as such. The Hokage could be found lying in a pool of blood originating from his nose.

(Later)

Many shinobi were dispatched to pursue the thief of the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. Iruka immediately began checking all of Naruto's usual areas as Mizuki immediately went to where he advised Naruto to learn the techniques in the scroll. Iruka checked quickly in his most usual areas, the forest being the last place to look. Obviously, he found Naruto in the last place he looked. As soon as he got to where Naruto was, Naruto turned and looked sheepish.

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei, I only learned 1 of the techniques in the scroll. But that means I pass, right?"

"Naruto, where did you get that idea?"

"Mizuki-sensei told me to get this scroll and learn one thing from it to pass. I learned one, so I pass, right?"

"Na…" Iruka was interrupted by a rustle of leaves. Iruka immediately pushed Naruto away as he braced himself for the hail of kunai. Mizuki emerged in the trees near the clearing with a smug look.

"Naruto, give me the scroll."

"No, Naruto! Don't give Mizuki the scroll! He only plans to use it to get stronger!"

"Naruto, Iruka is only trying to trick you. In fact, the village has been tricking you for thirteen years!"

"No, Mizuki, you know it's forbidden to say that."

"Say what?" Naruto asked, confused.

"He does not want me to say that you are the beast that killed his parents. You are the scourge of Konohagakure. You have Kyuubi no Yoko sealed within you. You are the Nine-Tailed Fox!

Naruto began to run, confusion marking his features. He ran, fear clouding his judgment. He heard the sounds of fighting so he followed. He reached a second clearing where he saw Iruka and Mizuki talking/fighting.

"Iruka, don't you see, Naruto is just like me."

"How's that, Mizuki?"

"You see, Naruto is going to use that scroll to destroy the village. That is how beasts are."

"You're right." Iruka said simply.

Naruto began to scream inside his head. This was extremely heartbreaking. One of the only people to treat him as he really is was saying that he was a beast.

"_Even Iruka-sensei thinks I'm just a beast, a freak, a…a… demon! I shouldn't even be here. I should just curl up and die." _ Naruto was thrust back into reality with Iruka's next statement.

"You're right, that is how beasts are. But that is not how Naruto is. He is a kind young man who cares for those around him. He is a valued member of this village. He is Konohagakure no Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto began to cry in joy when he heard these words. He snapped back into reality as Mizuki moved to kill Iruka. Naruto leapt into action and kicked Mizuki in the head, the scroll still tied to his back. He stood about 6 feet away from Mizuki's fallen body. Mizuki began to stand as Naruto began to speak.

"If you try to hurt my sensei, I'll KILL you!"

"Heh, it's not like you can do anything, demon."

"Give it your best shot. I'll return every blow a hundredfold." Naruto then raised his hands into a cross shaped hand-seal as he focused chakra. He released his chakra in the form of a jounin level technique. "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" could be heard in the clearing as a couple thousand Naruto copies filled the area. Mizuki fell over, shocked that the "demon spawn" could perform this technique. Naruto smiled smugly before all his copies spoke in unison.

"Well, aren't you going to hit me? If you don't make a move, I will."

Naruto's punches could be heard across the village, along with Mizuki's scream. Chakra filled attacks rained upon the poor chuunin, leaving him in clinging to life. Iruka still sat propped against a tree, shocked at Naruto's progress. He smiled as he was reminded of his own antics years ago. He then regained his voice as Naruto reached him.

"Heh, I think I overdid it, Iruka-sensei."

"Naruto, could you come here for a second? I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes, please."

Naruto complied as everything went dark. He could feel something heavy and comfortable on his forehead as he began to become impatient.

"Iruka-sensei, can I open my eyes now?"

"Yes, Naruto, open them." Naruto opened his eyes to see that nothing had changed, save for one thing. Iruka's forehead was bare. Naruto took a minute to realize that the heavy and comfortable object upon his forehead was none other than Iruka's headband. Iruka smiled as he began to speak again.

"Congratulations, Naruto. You graduate! Now, let's go to Ichiraku's to celebrate."

Naruto stared at him in utter surprise for about a minute before Iruka's abdomen was caught in a bone-crushing hug.

"Iruka-sensei!"

"_Naruto, this is only the beginning. Many troubles will await you now that you are a genin. But, I'll tell you that later, over ramen." _Iruka thought as he tried to wrench his overly enthusiastic student off of his abdominal area.

(End Chapter)

Techniques:

Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Technique

Oiroke no Jutsu: Sexy Technique, created by Naruto

Bunshin no Jutsu: Clone Technique

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shadow Clone Technique

(End Techniques List)

Translations:

Dobe: Dead Last; used usually to describe Naruto

Baka: Idiot, Moron, etc.

Ne: Hey; used as an attention grabber

Nan Deska: What is it?

Hitai-ite: Headband in Naruto

Onegaishimasu: Polite form of "Please"

Iie: No

Gomen: Sorry

Jiji: Gramps

Uzumaki Naruto Jutsu no Ougi: Uzumaki Naruto Ultimate Technique

Kyuubi no Yoko: Mystic Nine-Tailed Fox

Konohagakure no Uzumaki Naruto: Uzumaki Naruto of the Village Hidden in the Leaves

(End Translations)

A/N: I have a chocolate shake. (Slurp) I (slurp) hope you (slurp) liked (slurp) the chapter (slurp). Please (slurp) update (slurp) for me. (Slurp) I like (slurp) chocolate shakes. (Slurp)

Revision Notice: Due to the complaints of one of my reviewers. I am not going to use any more Japanese terms outside the technique names and honorifics. I understand that the Japanese terms could get annoying so I will stop using them. Have a nice day! (Revised June 15, 2006)


	9. Chapter 8: Ninja

A/N: Today, June 14, 2006, is officially the last day of finals. Also, this is the day before the last day of school. YAY! Anyway, I feel like writing a little bit, so here I am. I still have a few major problems but they are greatly reduced since school is basically over. I mean, nobody really comes on the last day of school, do they? I have a reputation to uphold, therefore, I will not be able to write anything until around 2:00 tomorrow afternoon. Even then, I will probably be slacking off in class since nothing is going to happen. Anyway, here are the review responses.

**Demon of Konoha: **You'll know exactly when I have something on my mind or if I have a creativity block. I won't really update very often if I am thinking about something else. I enjoyed using your prank. I mean, I added a few things and made the scale a lot larger but it's still similar.

**Dragon Man 180:** I've decided to not change the original teams. If I did that, then a few events would never happen. There are going to be some changes, though. Also, everyone in the village gets a prank by Naruto, except for the people around his age that accept him for who he is, even if Naruto is faking the entire thing. Also, I doubt it, unless he tells the others his absolute greatest secret, which was revealed to him in the last chapter.

**Orbrey: **Like I said, Naruto would not be dropping the mask anytime soon. Also, I'm glad you think so. I don't like to have the characters be OOC. Also, since Shikamaru knows, Naruto may be able to give Shikamaru a run for his money, nut I still think Shikamaru would win.

**Miss Naye: **(sigh) Unfortunately, Naruto won't be on the same team as his friends. Naruto will be able to have a relationship with his friends, though.

**Causeiambetta: **Have I mentioned that I just love your screen name? Anyway, as I've said repeatedly, Naruto is not a moron! There is no way that Naruto could do the things he does without having some sort of intellect. I'm just making Naruto really smart while making him act like an idiot to preserve the validity of the story. Thanks for the review.

**LoveDetermination: **Thanks for your input. I personally loved the last chapter because it revealed a lot about Naruto's hidden personality.

**Exerci: ** Thanks for the constructive criticism there. I changed the last chapter a little bit. I also decided to stop using Japanese terms to a certain extent. All the Japanese used in this chapter has been used before and is not really major. I'm glad you like it otherwise.

Yay! I didn't have to pull Jessie off of anyone! Jessie, no offence, but you are heavy. (Jessie: growl) Hey, I said, "No offense!" (Jessie: snort) Okay, anyway, let's get started! Enjoy the ninth installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If you say I do, I will let Benny, the zebra lawyer, pay you a visit.

(Chapter Begins)

Naruto was truly cheerful the next morning. He headed towards the Hokage tower to take the picture for his ninja papers. He got a bright idea halfway there and prepared it along the way by one of his scrolls. As soon as he got there, the photographer's mouth made a connection to the roof of the Hokage Tower.

"Are you sure you want to take the picture like THAT?"

"Yeah, yeah, just take the stupid picture."

"Alright, don't say I didn't warn you…"

The camera went off preserving a very funny portrait of the village's #1 prankster.

Later, he took the completed ninja forms and his hilarious picture to the Hokage's office. An argument followed when Naruto refused to retake the picture. This particular argument ended with the Hokage gaining a nosebleed. Before they could speak again, a small, goofily dressed little boy charged into the room.

"Jiji! Fight me! The title of Godaime Hokage belongs to me!

BAM!

Naruto's head formed a large sweat-drop at the scene as the Third sighed. The boy had tripped over his oversized scarf and fell on his face. The boy then looked up to see Naruto looking at him. He grew angry and started to yell at the orange blonde.

"You tripped me, didn't you!"

Naruto became annoyed, seeing that the child was blaming him for the boy's own screw-up.

"What are you talking about, you brat!" Naruto yelled back, grabbing the boy's shirt and lifting him up off of the floor.

"Put him down this instant, young man! He is the honorable grandson of the Third Hokage!"

Naruto turned towards the sound of the voice to see an angry jounin yelling at him. He then looked at the little kid thinking about the jounin's words. _"Grandson; what's a grandson?"_

He turned his attention back to the little boy who was wearing a taunting smile.

"Aren't you going to hit me? Are you afraid that I'll kick your butt? Are you scared that my grandpa is the Third?"

Naruto got really angry at that last comment. He was not scared! He voiced his thoughts by bashing the kid on the top of the head.

"I don't care if he's your grandmother! I'm not scared of you!"

The kid looked surprised as he rubbed his head. He looked up in awe as the Third dismissed Naruto. Naruto left shortly after.

(Scene change)

Naruto was getting pretty annoyed by this point. The little kid was attempting to hide from him and was failing miserably. By now, Naruto had seen him through 5 disguises, the most pathetic being the oversized rock and the sideways fence disguise. The kid finally introduced himself after being caught for the 15th time. It seemed that he was tired of being called the "Honorable Grandson" instead of his true name, Konohamaru. Naruto began to gain respect for the kid as he taught him one of his prized techniques, Oiroke no Jutsu. The jounin came by near the end of the day and was blown away by Konohamaru's Oiroke no Jutsu. This wasn't enough, seeing as Naruto had to subdue him by combining the Oiroke with Kage Bunshins. The Haremu no Jutsu was born as Ebisu was transported to the other end of the village via blood rocket.

Konohamaru looked up at Naruto in awe as they observed the flying special jounin. Konohamaru mentioned his search for the "easy way" to becoming Hokage. Naruto responded seriously to this statement.

"There isn't any. You have got to gain the trust of the villagers if you want to ever become Hokage. I've been trying for more than 9 years now and I only have the support of about 5 people. It's hard to gain the trust of others so you have to work hard. There is no easy way to becoming Hokage; just as there is no easy way to gain a person's trust. Even then, you will have to beat me and everyone else who tries to become Hokage in order to gain that title. The title of the Hokage indicates the strongest in the village so you must be strong in both mind and body in order to gain such a title. In the future, when you're stronger, we'll have a fight to see who is worthy of the name Hokage."

Naruto walked away, leaving Konohamaru to think of his words. A true smile crept across Konohamaru's face as he trotted away, determined to become strong in both body and spirit. Naruto walked away happily, satisfied that he helped another to find their true path.

"_You will be strong someday, Konohamaru. I anticipate our match in the future."_

(The next day)

Naruto woke up to an annoying ringing in his ears. He smacked his clock and got dressed as he took a glance at the calendar. A smile crept on his face as he placed his headband upon his forehead.

"_Today, I am a ninja!"_

As he walked to the academy for the last time as a student, he looked absolutely ecstatic about the events to come. But, on the inside, Naruto underwent an identity crisis. _"If I have the Kyuubi sealed into me, what does that make me? Does that make me a puppet for the fox? Will I end up destroying the village in the future?" _Naruto then remembered Iruka's words from the night before.

"_He is a kind young man who cares for those around him. He is a valued member of this village. He is Konohagakure no Uzumaki Naruto."_

Naruto thought carefully about Iruka's words as he developed his next thought. _"That's right; if I was just a demon, then Iruka-sensei wouldn't have said that. He would have backed Mizuki's statement about me being a demon."_

Naruto seemed to lighten up after this thought as he arrived at the school. He immediately walked towards his friends who were sitting near his usual seat.

"Hi, everybody!" Naruto said cheerfully. Each person who considered Naruto a friend whipped his or her head up. Each person had different reactions.

"Hey, Naruto" Chouji said in between eating his chips.

"H-hello, Naruto-kun" Hinata said timidly.

Shikamaru only gave a wave, determining it to be too troublesome to speak. Shino only acknowledged Naruto's presence with a slight nod.

Naruto smiled brightly. Inside, Naruto was having an internal debate concerning, once again, the newly found information. _"Do they know? When I asked Hokage-oji-san about this, he said that only the adults knew. I hope they don't know. Like my tears, this is just another secret that will never be revealed as long as I can help it."_

Naruto sat in his favorite seat which happened to be next to the seat where Hinata was sitting. Hinata blushed brightly and Naruto did not notice. He was too busy debating his identity inside his mind. He looked over to Hinata as soon as her blush faded. Hinata seemed tense and Naruto inquired about this.

"Hey, Hinata-san, are you okay? You seem to be a little stiff."

"I-I'm okay, N-naruto-kun. I-I'm just a little n-nervous, t-that's all." Hinata responded with her well-known stutter.

Naruto smiled in response, attempting to comfort the blue-haired girl. "No need to be nervous, Hinata-san. Nothing bad could happen today; we're only being assigned into our genin teams."

Hinata leaned forward and set her head in her arms in anxiety. She wanted to have Naruto on her team, but she did not know how probable that was. She seemed to stiffen as Iruka walked into the room. She took one last glance over to Naruto to see that he was in a similar position in the chair next to her.

"Okay, everyone, I will be telling you your genin cell assignment. Your jounin instructor will come to pick you up shortly…" Naruto spaced out somewhat, already knowing about this information. He was able to see how it worked one day as he walked through the school one day. His attention was caught as his name was mentioned. He needed to keep up his mask even if he was out of the academy, so he got prepared to do so.

"Team 7 will consist of Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke. Your sensei will be Hatake Kakashi"

As his team was announced, Naruto reacted as expected to the results. He cheered as his "crush's" name was called and sighed in dejection as Sasuke's name was called. Shortly afterward, the two newly dubbed teammates glared at the orange-clad genin. Both Sasuke and Sakura were still sore from the prank from a few days ago. Naruto glared back at Sasuke as he noticed Hinata's dejected and disappointed look. His eyes filled with concern as he asked her what the problem was.

"Hinata-san, what's wrong?"

Hinata seemed to jump at this statement as she replied timidly. "N-nothing's w-wrong, N-naruto-kun. I-it's okay."

Naruto doubted this but accepted her response nonetheless. Also, Hinata's name was being mentioned.

Iruka began to speak again, mentioning team 8. "Team 8 will consist of Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Your sensei will be Yuuhi Kurenai."

Naruto began to zone out again, now thinking about Hinata's earlier expression. His interest was caught once again as Chouji looked upward from his bag of chips and Shikamaru opened one eye sleepily.

"Team 10 will consist of Nara Shikamaru, Akamichi Chouji, and Yamanaka Ino. Your sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma. Your teachers will arrive shortly. I hope you all have successful endeavors!" Iruka said with a smile. He walked out of the room leaving the students to do as they wish.

Naruto instantly went to meet his team members.

"Hi, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura turned around slowly, anger apparent on her face. "Naruto, I didn't give you permission to call me "chan."

Naruto seemed to ignore her statement and kept talking. "Anyway, we should get to know each other better since we're on the same team. So, would you like to have lunch with me, Sakura-chan?"

"No, Naruto, you're annoying." Sakura said simply. Naruto was left behind as she left. Inside, Naruto was fuming.

"_It's not like I actually want to call you "chan," Sakura. Damn, it's hard keeping that up, especially since I'm not interested in people that treat others like shit."_

Naruto came up with an idea as he tracked down the brooding member of his new team. He found him in an unused room, apparently avoiding his large fan club.

(POV change)

Shikamaru spotted his friend as he walked on an awning on the next building over. He was walking towards a window which held the silhouette of a certain brooding boy. Ino spotted this and shouted in protest.

"Naruto! If you even scratch Sasuke-kun, you'll be on by "Enemy" list for life!"

Team 10 watched closely as Naruto ambushed Sasuke. Not 30 seconds later, they saw Sasuke hop out.

"That's what I'm talking about. No one can beat my Sasuke-kun, especially not that dobe, Naruto."

Shikamaru was slightly confused. Was it possible that he underestimated Naruto? A thought hit him as he analyzed the situation. "Sasuke" left though the window when he could have left through the door. Naruto should have been up and running by now. Then, Shikamaru smiled as he realized that the "Sasuke" was Naruto using Henge. He submerged himself back into thought as Ino continued her rant.

(Meanwhile)

Sasuke, painted similar to how he was two days before was being guarded by two Naruto clones. Sasuke seemed extremely confused and angered as the clones wore a sinister smirk filled with pride. He was tied to a chair and placed in an awkward position as the Naruto clones puffed out of existence. Sasuke's mind swam as he escaped from the bindings. Sasuke then used a henge to disguise his body.

"_How can the dobe combine the use of solid clones, kamarimi, and two techniques I've never seen? The first one was obviously a fire technique and the second one was a wind technique. Where did he learn these techniques? How could he use them?"_

Sasuke, freed and looking perfectly normal, headed back to the classroom to see Naruto change back into his regular self. He watched Naruto carefully as he stepped into the classroom.

(POV change)

The jounin sensei arrived shortly after the students returned. After about 15 minutes, there were only two teams left. Team 7 and Team 8 sat in their various seats with different reactions. Naruto sat in his seat, conversing occasionally with Hinata, Sakura tried in vain to get Sasuke to speak, Shino spoke with one of his bugs, gathering information on the other people present, and Kiba sat and fumed silently and impatiently. Soon enough, Kurenai arrived to take team 8 away from the classroom. Kiba lightened up instantly and bounded out of the room. Shino calmly walked out and Hinata reluctantly left as a stuttered goodbye was given to Naruto.

Naruto's mood had changed substantially after Hinata had left. He now no longer had a person to talk to while he waited for his extremely late sensei. A smirk crept on Naruto's face as he got an idea on how to pay him back. Naruto did some hand-seals and opened his scrolls and got to work. Sasuke watched Naruto intently as he did his deed. Unfortunately, Sasuke could only see Naruto opening and shutting the door and patting certain parts of the walls and roof. Sakura looked confused since Naruto seemed to be checking the walls and roof for something. Naruto then opened the door slightly and placed a chalkboard eraser in the space between the door and the jamb. Naruto suddenly smiled as he rushed back to his seat.

"Naruto, that'll never work. He's a jounin for a reason." Sasuke said to the smiling blonde. Sakura only nodded in agreement.

The three genin heard footsteps coming down the hall and they all heard them stop in front of the door. Naruto was sitting on the edge of his seat as the door opened and a silver-haired head peered in. Naruto instantly brought his hands together in a quick seal as the jounin saw hell before his eyes. The other people present widened their eyes as the entire setup was revealed to them. An eraser fell on top of his head as he looked up. A bucket of a sticky substance fell on his head shortly after. The silver-haired jounin stepped in and tried to get the bucket off, only to trip on a wire. As the jounin stood up and removed the bucket, he saw that he was in the line of fire of some demented oranges. The oranges pelted him as he staggered backward into another trip wire. This time, however, another bucket fell, raining a hail of eggs on the poor jounin. Sticky and smelling of eggs and oranges, the jounin spoke. Sasuke and Sakura looked astounded as Naruto rolled on the ground, laughing hysterically.

"My first impression, I don't really like you people." The genin present looked dumbfounded as the somewhat smiling jounin went to the roof.

(End Chapter)

Technique list:

Kamarimi no Jutsu: Replacement Technique

Oiroke no Jutsu: Ninja Centerfold AKA Sexy technique

Fuken Houin: Item Sealing Method, technique used by Naruto to seal his prank items in convenient scrolls. Used in many occasions when Naruto pulls pranks on people.

(End)

A/N: Yeah, I had to explain that sometime. Naruto needs to have some sort of technique to seal his items away. In a way, it is based on Tenten's anime technique during the chuunin exams. I got the idea in the anime, but I'm not exactly going to use Tenten's Soushouryuu in my fanfiction. If you hadn't noticed already, Naruto has used many techniques in the past chapter, especially when he was being chased. I will be explaining these some other time. Take a look beack to the previous chapters if you don't believe me. Look in chapters 6 and 8 for details. Look when he is pulling his pranks or is being chased. Have a nice and review please!

-omegaguardian


	10. Chapter 9: Exam

A/N: I'm back everybody! I'm happy because I just received a million dollars out of nowhere! I like to write things and it is summer vacation so I am pretty cheerful about it. YAY! I'm still a little sore from my sister's little escapade in my account. Luckily, she didn't do that much damage. I am being a nice older sibling and I'm letting my sister keep her story up, which I personally have not read. Anyway, I like reviews, even if they criticize me. Here are the responses!

**Silver-White-Tiger: **It's okay. I don't really take offense to that. In fact, this story doesn't really have any action until the Wave Country arc. I hope you like the fight scene between Kakashi and Team 7, though. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll really consider them.

**Underdark Ranger: **That would have been fine, but it would have been OOC for Kakashi. I wanted to have Kakashi be calm during their first meeting.

**Dragon Man 180: **I know that was just plain annoying! Naruto never "just freeze up" in the face of battle, even if he is taken by surprise! If he did, he would have been busted for every single prank he did as a kid! Trust me; I plan on changing that little detail.

**Saotome Kyuubi: ** Really, was it that hard to review? That is really odd. For some reason, people have been having trouble reviewing my fic. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story! The pranks are what I call my masterpieces. Now that Naruto is a genin, there will be less of them though (sob), but the fight scenes that are bound to come up will more than cover it, I hope. Also, I pride myself on my grammatical integrity in my stories. An English teacher would probably only yell at me for a few purposely placed sentence fragment, but that is it. Another thing, I like to update a lot. I hate having to wait for another installment of a story so I update relatively quickly to relieve you from the anticipation. I don't know if "rabid animal" would describe it, but I'm flattered anyway. Thanks for the review!

**Causeiambetta: **I personally love the speech I developed. I only typed it up without really paying attention. I read through it after I was done and was amazed at what I had written. There were a few grammatical errors, but I loved it! I'm glad you liked it too. Also, I like to treat the characters of the story as a real person. Each person has a personality and likes/dislikes and I respect that. This also improves the reading experience so you don't think a person is there as dead weight to a story. I'm happy that you liked this little detail. Thanks for the review!

**Miss Naye: **I liked that little prank too. I hated the fact that, in the series, the best Naruto could think of was an eraser to the head. If Naruto did that after blowing up Iruka's desk with the contents of the desk drawers, I'd be pretty disappointed.

**Demon of Konoha: **I glad you think so. I plan on having such a scene, but I don't know when. You'll see it when you see it, but I don't plan on having such a scene very soon. My goal is to get through the Wave Country arc at the moment and I'm not really thinking that far. If I am, I'm probably thinking a few vague details.

**Exerci: **Don't worry; I'm a picky reader too. I'm pleased that you think better of me. I hope I can keep the interest of many of my loyal readers, including the picky ones.

**Winxclubluver: **I'm glad you like the story so far. I hope I can keep it up. You don't know how many times I've seen a story go sour since the author couldn't keep a solid plot.

**Anime-Boy 07: **How many times do I have to teach you this lesson! I'll be nice this time and give you back your money (gives check to **Anime-Boy07**), but next time, I won't be as merciful.

**Lord Accius Black: **Thanks for your concern, but if you hadn't noticed at the end of chapter 8, I mentioned that I wouldn't use Japanese terms outside honorifics, titles, or techniques.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **Don't deprive yourself of sleep because of little ol' me. My story will still be here when you get back. I am glad you liked it, though.

Anyway, I like to write things. I hope you like the story. I seem to be feeling a little more confident, but not enough to tell you more about myself. Anyway, enjoy the tenth installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I have a friend named Edward, the super-powered rabbit just waiting for the people who say I do. Also, **Anime-Boy07, **he'll take that money back if you do say anything.

(Chapter Begins)

Sakura and Sasuke looked astounded at the results of the prank that Naruto pulled. The fact that they didn't notice the genjutsu that Naruto placed was like a slap to the face. They were supposed to be the smartest girl in class and the Uchiha prodigy, respectively. They also grew wary of their new teammate. Naruto, in their eyes, was supposed to be the one that always got in the way. Now, they weren't so sure. The two genin grew suspicious as they reached the roof. Naruto was smiling the entire time. They both thought the same thing at the exact same moment.

"_Who is Uzumaki Naruto?"_

(POV change)

The door creaked as three figures reached the roof. Still sticky and smelly, a certain silver-haired jounin was still a little annoyed. He thought of the things he could do to pay them back.

"_I hope they had fun here at the academy because they are definitely going back here after I'm through with them."_

The jounin analyzed the new recruits. _"A loud idiot, a lovesick and smart girl, and the last survivor of the Uchiha clan; this team would have been interesting if they had any possibility of passing my test."_

The jounin spoke, getting the attention of the three genin. "Why don't you all introduce yourselves? You know, like your name, likes, dislikes, and your goal for the future."

"Um, Kakashi-sensei, shouldn't you introduce yourself first? That way, we know what to do." Sakura said, politely.

"Okay; my name is Hatake Kakashi. I like certain things. I dislike a lot of things. You shouldn't concern yourself with my dreams."

The three genin present looked at their new teacher in disbelief. All they got out of that was his name! Kakashi spoke again, pointing to the pink-haired genin. "Okay, your turn, Pinky"

Sakura twitched. If she hated anything more than being called "Big Forehead," it was being called "Pinky." She spoke with obviously restrained anger. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I like … things. I dislike Naruto. My dream is…"

Sakura blushed at the appropriate parts of her statement and Naruto looked onward in disappointment. On the inside, Naruto was cheering and dancing. He was shouting joyfully as she said that. He did not want a conceited girl to fall in love with him.

Kakashi then pointed at the now gloomy boy. "How about you, orange boy?"

Naruto responded loudly as expected of him, lightening up instantly. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I like ramen, cup ramen and the ramen down at Ichiraku's! I hate the three minutes that you have to wait for the ramen to cook and snobby idiots! My hobby is to eat ramen and compare their tastes! My dream is to become the best of all the Hokage!" At least, that's what he said. Inside, Naruto was contradicting every word.

"_My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, but not that much. I only eat it because that is one of the few things I can afford. I also like to create my own techniques and prank the assholes that look down on me. I hate the predicament that is my life, but I deal with it. I also hate the snobby bastards of the village who seem to have a stick up their ass and try to destroy me at every occasion. My hobby is to create new techniques and relax in a clearing in the forest just outside the village. I also have a little personal garden there to mark it off. My dream is to become the greatest Hokage to make the people acknowledge me, but I have an impossible dream. I want to have a family more than anything else. You hacks know nothing about me."_

Kakashi accepted the act readily and moved on to his next student. "Okay, now you go, Happy Boy."

Sasuke glared daggers at Kakashi as he responded in a voice dripping with venom. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't like very many things. I hate a lot of things. My ambition is something that I will not leave as a dream. I must revive my clan and kill a certain person."

The three people present thought differently about the boy's statement.

"_Do you think you're the only one with problems? Stop acting so dark."_

"_Sasuke-kun is so cool."_

"_Just as I thought…"_

"Okay, now that that is settled, let's get down to business. Tomorrow, you will be participating in some survival training."

"But, Kakashi-sensei, we did survival training in the academy." Sakura stated.

"This is different. After you hear this, you may be surprised." Kakashi said, laughing.

"So, what is "this"?" Naruto asked.

"Out of the 27 graduates, only 9 will progress to genin. The others will be sent back to the academy. The training exercise is a very hard test with a 66 fail rate."

"What!" could be heard from two of the genin. The third only raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Bring your equipment and meet me at the training grounds at 5 AM. Oh, don't eat breakfast. You'll throw up. Have a nice day!" Kakashi puffed away in a column of smoke leaving three confused genin. They all went home shortly after, thinking along the lines of, _"What the hell was he talking about?" _

(That night, Naruto POV)

Naruto packed away his entire arsenal in preparation. He was not going to be sent back to the academy because he failed some stupid person's test. He smirked as he thought of the possibilities of tomorrow's test. He changed shortly after packing and fell into a restless sleep.

(The next Morning)

Naruto woke up at around 4:30 thanks to his junk heap of an alarm clock. He was slightly grumpy as he trudged around his house. He instantly thought, _"Screw Kakashi-sensei and his "no eating breakfast" rule." _before digging into his morning ramen. Naruto still was a little tired as he arrived at the training grounds. The others looked just as tired as he was and about twice as hungry. They obviously obeyed Kakashi's orders. When they converged at a single tree stump, they waited… and waited… and waited. Sakura fell asleep as Naruto began to get annoyed. Naruto went off into the forest and walked around for a bit; at least, that is what the others thought. Sakura was asleep and Sasuke seemed too tired and hungry to care. Naruto emerged about 30 minutes later, still grumpy. About half an hour later, Kakashi arrived. Sakura woke with a start and began to yell, as did Naruto.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"Sorry, I had to save Hokage-sama from the burning Hokage tower."

"You and I both know that's total bullshit. Oji-san wouldn't need any help getting out of there if it was an emergency." Naruto said with anger in his eyes.

Kakashi ended the conversation and placed a clock on the stump next to him. "This clock is set to noon. You have to get a bell from me by the time the timer goes off, or you will go back to the academy." Kakashi said while holding two bells.

"But, Kakashi-sensei, there is only two bells, that means one of us won't have a bell." Sakura said with a confused expression.

"That means one of you will be going back to the academy for sure. Also, the people without a bell will be tied to that stump while I eat lunch in front of you." The three stomachs chose that moment to growl in unison, reminding the three genin how hungry they were.

"_It's a good thing I ate some ramen this morning, then." _Naruto thought as he stared at his rumbling stomach.

"You start, NOW!" Kakashi shouted at the end, sending two of the genin scattering. The third genin, Naruto, only stood at his position and grinned while saying something.

"We fight here and now, just the two of us." Kakashi was confused about Naruto's tactics as he reached into his weapon pouch and pulled out an orange book. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he recognized the title of the book. Naruto threw a number of kunai and shuriken at Kakashi, only to have them either dodged or caught. Naruto smiled; his work was done for now. The kunai and shuriken that were thrown hit certain pieces of string which set off a number of traps. A hail of kunai and shuriken came from all directions. Some of the kunai began to explode as the tags that were on them burnt out. Naruto leapt back into action as he performed three seals. Holding the seal of the tiger, Naruto exhaled a cloud of dense smoke which caught Kakashi off guard. Kakashi had trouble breathing after the smoke reached him. He also had trouble dodging the kunai and shuriken, some of which almost hit him. Kakashi felt Naruto's presence close-by and he was headed towards a bell. Kakashi used kawarimi to escape and he reappeared behind Naruto.

"Don't let your opponents get behind you, Naruto." Naruto was unable to do anything so he braced for impact. "Konohagakure Hiden: Taijutsu no Ougi: Sennen Goroshi!" Naruto then felt a very painful stab in an area which is not usually hit and was sent flying into the lake.

Sakura and Sasuke looked on in awe. The dobe actually put up a good fight! They saw everything; the traps, the technique and the theft attempt on the bell. They were also confused. Sasuke was thinking about Naruto's technique.

"_That technique's seal order ended with the seal of the tiger. That was a fire technique, right. I thought the Uchiha clan was the master of fire techniques. Where did he learn that?"_

Meanwhile, Naruto was planning something as he created a few Shadow clones in the water. _"This is what you get, you pervert."_

On the surface, the smoke had cleared and Kakashi was reading his perverted novel again. Suddenly, 6 shuriken thrust out of the water. Kakashi catches 2 and throws them at two others, knocking them out of the air. He then dodges the other two as they embed themselves in the trees behind him. Kakashi looks around to check the area and sees the two shuriken, exactly where he thought they would be. He turns his attention back to his book to feel as if he was caught on a draft of wind. He looks up to see that he is flying towards the lake. He calmly lands on the lake and starts walking to shore. He then spots two Naruto's thrusting their hands forward and blowing him back onto the lake. As he lands this time, the water explodes under his feet and another Naruto jumps up to try and get the bell. Kakashi looks surprised as he uses Kawarimi to switch places with one of Naruto's clones. Kakashi then easily eliminates the other clone and watches as Naruto climbs back to shore. He seems out of breath as he glares at Kakashi.

The others were absolutely amazed! Naruto had come up with a brilliant strategy and had executed it almost flawlessly! Also, the techniques he used absolutely astounded him. The fact that Naruto, the dead last idiot, could keep up with a jounin in a duel was absolutely amazing. The two hiding genin weren't very interested at the beginning, but now they were glued to the battle. Kakashi was now giving a small lecture to the orange-clad ninja while Naruto stood and glared.

Sasuke immediately whipped into action. Sasuke found this to be the perfect opportunity and threw a barrage of shuriken and kunai at Kakashi, only to be embedded into a log. Sasuke whips up in shock and runs away, worried that his position was just compromised. Naruto puffed out of existence, its task complete.

Naruto the original was currently running towards the area where a girlish scream was heard. He arrived to see Sakura on the ground, sobbing with a blank stare. Naruto groaned as he quickly dispelled the genjutsu and ran off just in time to see Sasuke being nailed by a Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no Jutsu, resulting in Sasuke's head being stuck in the ground. Sakura came and yelled out in terror as she saw Sasuke's "decapitated" head.

Naruto jumped down and started to laugh at Sasuke's head as Sakura pulled Sasuke out and smashed the top of Naruto's head, in that order. The timer went off as Naruto recovered. They reluctantly went to Kakashi, who was standing by the timer, looking very disappointed. Inwardly, however, Kakashi was very impressed by the two boys. They put up a decent fight! Naruto, especially, gave Kakashi a challenge without revealing his second eye. However, the three genin did not know what it took to be a good team.

"Now, for the results; none of you are going back to the academy."

All three people sighed in relief as Kakashi spoke again.

"You are not fit to be shinobi. You should all quit. You three are just brats who do not know the meaning of being a shinobi."

All three of them immediately were angered by this. Naruto was especially angry.

Sasuke charged at that moment in indignation. The next thing Sakura and Naruto saw was Sasuke pinned under Kakashi's foot while Kakashi sat on his back.

Kakashi spoke again, anger evident in his voice. "Why do you think we split you into three-man groups? Do you think we do it because it is convenient for us?"

At this point, Naruto started to smack himself inwardly for being an idiot. His line of thought was around, _"How could I have missed that? I'm such an idiot!" _

Sakura was still confused as she spoke. "What do you mean?"

Kakashi began to speak again, still pinning Sasuke to the ground. "I see; you still don't get the purpose of this exercise. Are your brains empty? Think about it; why do we train in three man squads? The answer to this was the answer to the test. It was…"

"Teamwork" All of the present people looked over at Naruto. "We are here to work as a team. That was the purpose. If we had come all at once, we may have gotten a bell. Though I was the closest in getting a bell, it still wasn't enough."

"Yes, Naruto, but it's too late now. If you had realized that sooner, you may have passed. You did give it your all against me, but like you said, it wasn't enough. Sakura cared more for Sasuke than for you, even if you were right in front of her. Sasuke thought of both you and Sakura as burdens and did not truly care for your safety. Also, Sasuke and Sakura were too wrapped up in watching our fight to jump in and help."

Sakura flinched and Sasuke scowled as Kakashi said this to Naruto. Naruto sat against the stumps, listening to every word.

"True, a shinobi does need individual skills, but teamwork is more important. If even one of you screws up during a mission, it could result in the injury or death of at least one of your teammates. For example…"

Kakashi reached into his weapons pouch and pulled out a kunai. The three children flinched as the kunai was placed under Sasuke's trachea. "…Sakura kill Naruto or Sasuke dies!"

The children looked up in shock as Naruto immediately tried to think up a plan. He began to mold a little chakra and he raised his hands to perform a single seal as Kakashi began again.

"This situation is inescapable and it will result in the death of one of your comrades. I will give you another chance. The test will restart in 15 minutes, but it will be much harder. Naruto, Sasuke, take a lunch. Sakura doesn't get any since she didn't even try.

All of the genin sighed in relief as Naruto and Sasuke grabbed a lunchbox. Kakashi then left, leaving the children to eat alone. Sakura looked extremely hungry and Naruto noticed this. Naruto handed his untouched lunchbox to Sakura while saying one thing.

"Sakura, to tell you the truth, I ate a big breakfast this morning. Here, you take it."

"Naruto, you heard what Kakashi said. I can't eat this."

"Just eat it." Naruto and Sakura turned to see Sasuke handing Sakura about half of his own lunchbox. "Look around; do you see anybody?" You'll need your strength to be able to be useful in battle."

Sakura ate through the food in the boxes in about a minute and a half. Satisfied, the three waited patiently for Kakashi to return. When he did, however, it was about 10 seconds after Sakura finished. Also, Kakashi looked absolutely pissed as he ran towards them.

"YOU THREE…" Kakashi began to yell as he ground to a halt in front of the terrified genin.

"…What do you have to say for yourselves? You have broken my rules. Are you prepared for the punishment?"

"Kakashi-sensei, you just told us that teamwork is important. If we are to be able to have a chance, we all need to be able to fight. So, if you are going to punish us…" Naruto lifted his hands into a familiar cross-shaped seal. "…do your worst. I will not hold back."

Sakura nodded in agreement as she pulled out a kunai. Sasuke had his hands in the seal of the tiger and was about to draw in a breath

Kakashi suddenly smiled. The three children had an expression of confusion as Sasuke accidentally set a stump aflame. "You all pass. Congratulations."

All three children held an expression that prompted an explanation as the three all spoke in unison.

"Huh?"

"You all are the first to actually pass my test. The others were stupid enough to listen to me. People who break the rules are worth nothing, but the people who do not care for their friends are worth even less. Congratulations, you all pass. Team 7 officially starts missions tomorrow! See you then!"

Sasuke smirked as Sakura screamed in joy. Naruto cheered constantly as Kakashi left to report to the Hokage.

(Later)

Team 7 walked slowly off of the field. Sasuke and Sakura chose that specific moment to confront Naruto.

Sakura spoke first. "Okay, Naruto, spill."

"Huh?" was all that Naruto could say.

"What did you use against Kakashi-sensei back there?"

"Oh, that? That was Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, nothing special."

"How did you learn it?" Sakura asked, intrigued about the mysterious technique.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, I can't tell you. Oji-san said it was a secret."

The two other members of team 7 thought about the same thing. _"Why would he not tell us? I know there is something else behind this."_

Sakura thought as she reviewed the battle in her mind once more. She then put these thoughts into words as she questioned Naruto again. "Naruto, what about the other ones?"

Naruto kept walking as he cursed inwardly. _"Shit, I shouldn't have used them, but it was only option at the time." _Naruto chose to play dumb.

"What other ones?" Sasuke began to get annoyed as Naruto began to look confused.

"The smoke thing and that gust; what were those!" Sasuke shouted.

Naruto was thinking of a way out of this as he channeled a bit of chakra and made a shadow clone in the trees. _"Damn it; I am not teaching them Juukai Enmu or Fuuton: Toppuu. I worked way too hard making those to give to just anybody. It's a good thing they don't really notice genjutsu yet or they might ask me about Sakkaku."_

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Sasuke." Naruto responded calmly.

Sakura and Sasuke pounded Naruto on the top of the head fairly hard after that statement. They were surprised as Naruto burst into smoke.

(End chapter)

Technique list:

Kawarimi no Jutsu: Replacement Technique

Konohagakure Hiden: Taijutsu no Ougi: Sennen Goroshi: Hidden Leaf Secret: Taijutsu Supreme Technique: A Thousand Years of Death

Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no Jutsu: Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Technique

Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique; explanation behind why Sasuke accidentally burnt a stump

Juukai Enmu no Jutsu: Dense Ash Haze Technique; created by Naruto, creates a large scale smokescreen which causes difficulty breathing in the target(s). This technique also temporarily blinds the target(s), rendering them vulnerable to attack.

Fuuton: Toppuu: Wind Release: Sudden Gust Technique; created by Naruto, user channels chakra into their hands and forces the wind into the direction in which the user's hands move. This technique can force a person off of their feet or cause a headwind. This technique can also repel projectiles. However, this technique alone cannot cause any damage.

Sakkaku no Jutsu: Optical Illusion technique; created by Naruto, this is a low class genjutsu which is mostly used to either hide items for traps or make the user translucent. This was used to hide the traps in this chapter.

(End Technique List)

A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter is too similar to the manga. I hated to make it that way, but I didn't actually have a choice in the matter. Well, I hope you liked it anyway. I hope I did the fight scene correctly. I know it sucks, complain if you wish, I'm not particularly proud of this chapter. I explained all of the techniques that Naruto used in this chapter. Please review; I'm not expecting many positive ones.

Revision Notice: I received a review noting some spelling errors in this particular chapter. Thank you **Demon of Konoha** for your help in my story.


	11. Chapter 10: Anger

A/N: Okay, everybody, I'm feeling a little better now and I'm typing up the next chapter. I was feeling a little depressed earlier today, but I feel like writing again. Today is June 18, 2006 and I posted Chapter 10 yesterday. I hope you liked my last chapter, even if I didn't. If you ask me, it was too much like the manga version. I'm starting the Wave Country arc in this chapter so I hope it gets better. You'll start to see the changes that I made fairly well in this chapter. I hope I can keep it up. Wish me luck!

Here are the review responses! Thank you all!

**Underdark Ranger: **Did you really think so? I got the idea from Tellemicus Sundance's story "Legacy of the Rasengan." He made a technique in his story called Enmaku no Jutsu (Smokescreen technique). I warped that technique a bit and used it in my story. I recommend you read the story. It's great, if you ask me.

**Silver-White-Tiger: **I did this on purpose. You'll see soon enough. Also, Naruto is a master of escape and traps. He will be able to get out of anything Sakura and Sasuke throw at him.

**LoveDetermination: **I know what you're thinking. Naruto should have kept those things a secret for longer. However, you have to think in his shoes. Which is more important; becoming a genin or hiding a few techniques?

**Mistassassin: **I'm glad you liked them! I had fun making them and thinking of the possibilities.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **(laughs sheepishly) Sorry if it seems too similar to your fanfic. I hope you don't really mind all that much. Otherwise, I'm glad you like it so much. I like putting detail into my writing. You could say that "detail" is my middle name. By the way, I am **not** trying to upstage you, so please don't hurt me. Also, I have never heard of the story "Naruto: Different Beginnings". I'll give it a good look, though.

**Nantukoprime: **I did take some technique concepts from Legacy, I got to admit. I hope this doesn't become a mockup of Legacy. I am glad that my fanfic stands out, though. I plan on stopping the similarities at Juukai Enmu and a few of the battle scenes. The Kakashi vs. Naruto fight was my first, so don't really judge me on that one. I will try to make the battle scenes as fun to read as some of my pranks so keep your eyes open. Also, like I just told Tellemicus, "detail" is my middle name. I really like giving scenes life.

**Demon of Konoha: **(laughs sheepishly) Sorry about that. I'll fix it right away. Thanks for the comment. I am usually picky so I would go back and replace an entire chapter because of one mistake.

**Dragon Man 180: **Hmm, I really didn't think of it that way. Also, Naruto was able to avoid his own traps because he set them. It would be pretty embarrassing if Naruto got caught by his own trap.

**Dual Rasengan: **Um… what?

**Orbrey: **Really, it's actually starting to diverge? I'm finally getting a feel for this. I just hope I don't make the story too confusing to read.

**Causeiambetta: **Really, you think? I hoped I made enough changes to this and it seems I did a good job.

**Narut0-fan101: **I'm glad you liked it. It seems that I actually did a good job. That's good. That means the readers (namely you and the others that read this) can get a good experience out of this.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **Pulling a Gaara? Oh, I get it. So I see you've been getting some sleep lately. I'm glad you like my story. By the way, the positive review beam thing feels pretty good. Thanks!

**Anime-Boy07: **(Sniff) You killed Edward. That's so mean! I'm glad you liked my story, but you killed my bunny! WAAAAAH! (Runs off crying)

I like the reviews. They are really mice to read, even if it is a criticism. Please review.

Here is the eleventh installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I have a friend named Ronald ready to beat the crap out of you. He just so happens to be a blue leopard so I dare you to try. Also, **Anime-Boy07, **this leopard comes armed with steel plated armor. Please don't kill him, he's actually nice.

(Chapter Begins)

Naruto hid in a tree, cursing his luck inwardly. _"What was I thinking! I can't damage my cover any more than it already is. I'm going to have to work hard to try to get them to forget about those techniques. For now, I will probably be followed. That means I will have to come up with a distraction. I know!" _

Naruto checked that the other two had left before executing his plan. He created one Shadow clone and had it jump out of the tree. Naruto then performed three seals and made his body invisible. He followed his clone to his own house, watching carefully on all sides. He spotted Sakura and Sasuke on many occasions as he followed him around. At this point, Naruto mentally instructed his shadow clone to head towards the Hokage tower and head towards Ichiraku's after it arrived there. The clone understood as it began to change course. Naruto, still trailing the two members of his team, noted that both Sakura and Sasuke were both becoming confused as the clone practically gave them a tour of Konoha. Naruto laughed softly as he left, instructing the clone to go in a fairly large circle, going to random areas and changing directions as soon as it arrived.

(POV change)

Sakura and Sasuke were traveling together to spy on Naruto. The boy had something to hide, and they were determined to find out what it was. Naruto headed towards a residential district at first. Suddenly, Naruto changed course and headed to the Hokage tower. After Naruto got there, he immediately changed course to go to a ramen stand. Naruto basically had the two genin running in a circle around all of Konoha. Naruto was also moving fairly quickly so they had trouble keeping up. Naruto walked around past dark, going to random areas. Sakura was unable to stay much longer since her family was probably worried about her. She left around 9:30. Sasuke continued the investigation alone, and got nowhere in particular. He too eventually got frustrated and gave up around 11:00. Sasuke grunted in frustration as Naruto burst into smoke. Sasuke began to get extremely annoyed as he realized he was tailing a clone all this time. As they both went to bed that night, they both thought about the same thing.

"_Naruto, I'm going to find out what you're hiding tomorrow and you aren't going to get out of this one."_

(Meanwhile)

Naruto ran about a half a mile into the forest before he dropped the technique. Naruto snickered as he emerged from the forest, well away from his clone. He spotted four people heading his way so he jumped into a tree.

About 30 seconds later, the four people arrived. Shino looked up immediately and directly at Naruto. Kiba sniffed the air and looked in the same direction. Hinata looked at them before activating her Byakugan and looking up as well. Hinata then smiled after seeing the figure in the trees. The fourth person noticed her students' reactions and called out shortly after.

"We know you're there. Come out!" She said warningly. Naruto sighed before jumping down. He received various greetings from the four people. Kiba immediately scoffed and looked away. Shino gave Naruto and acknowledging nod and Naruto returned it. Hinata stuttered a greeting, which Naruto returned cheerfully. He looked up to the oldest person of the four as she spoke.

"Now, Naruto-san, why were you hiding in that tree?"

Naruto looked nervous as he replied. Naruto scratched the back of his head while answering. "I'm sorry, Kurenai-sensei. I sensed a few people coming and I jumped up in that tree to conceal myself. I think it wasn't enough, though."

She only smiled in reply as she spoke again. "Well, Naruto-san, have you passed your genin test?"

Naruto only nodded nervously as Kurenai spoke again. "Well then, would you care to join us? We're going to a nearby Barbeque restaurant to celebrate." She said with a slight smile.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically as he followed them closely. He began conversing with Hinata as they walked to the restaurant.

"So, Hinata-san; how was your test?" Naruto asked with a smile.

"W-we didn't h-have a test, N-naruto-kun. Kurenai-sensei j-just g-gauged our abilities and s-said we were s-starting missions t-tomorrow." Hinata replied shyly.

"WHAT? Kakashi-sensei had us try to take some stupid bells from him! He then screwed with us after that, saying we should quit or some bullshit like that. That would be impossible because I never quit! That's my ninja way!" Naruto replied loudly.

The conversation stopped as the group arrived at the restaurant. The busboy scowled at Naruto while telling the group that there was no room. Naruto immediately got the message and struggled to maintain his mask. Inside, Naruto was absolutely furious! Another idiot wouldn't see past the stupid fox that was sealed in him. Naruto began to scream in his thoughts as he spoke to Team 8.

"Um, Kurenai-sensei, I think I forgot to do something. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I'll take your offer another time. Thanks anyway. Bye!" Naruto left shortly after, making a beeline to the forest, careful to not come across his clone. Team 8 stared at the blonde's retreating form as Kurenai began to speak to the ignorant busboy.

"You idiot; do you know what you have just done?"

"Yes, we have the right to refuse service to anyone and I have just exercised that right."

"On what cause, may I ask?" Kurenai's eyes shone with anger as the busboy began to get nervous.

"We will not have that _thing_ eat in this restaurant. He is a menace to society and he will not be allowed in this establishment."

"I will be reporting this…incident to the Hokage. Let's see what he has to say about this."

Kurenai turned to walk away as she observed the rest of her team. She was surprised to note that somebody was missing. She looked up to see a person in a light lavender jacket heading in the direction that a blonde boy traversed not 5 minutes ago.

(Meanwhile)

He traveled about a mile in to find his clearing in the forest. Naruto walked past it as he went about 50 feet beyond it and started to smash trees as he thought indignantly. _"Those people are complete and total idiots! When will they learn that the stupid fur-ball is sealed inside me? I am not the KYUUBI NO YOKO!" _A tree fell after each mental syllable. Each tree that fell took a piece of Naruto's anger with them. Naruto did this whenever he got truly pissed. He came straight here and blew off as much steam as he possibly could, making sure that he would be able to take what was coming the next day. Naruto may not know exactly what would happen, but he definitely knew what the villagers would do.

After that outburst, 36 fallen trees were present. Naruto began to focus as he formed a number of hand-seals. Every time he did this, he was sure to re-grow the fallen trees using his immense chakra. He developed a technique for doing just this. He had to conceal this somehow. He knocks the trees down and grows them back and no one bats an eye. He finished the seals as his hands turned green. He placed his hands on a fallen tree trunk and said the name of the technique.

"Touboku Saisei"

The trees came back from the trunks of the fallen trees. 36 trees fell from his rage, 72 trees were grown from his chakra. Each tree was about three times Naruto's height. _"There, that should be good enough. It's a good thing I have a lot of chakra because this technique sure uses a hell of a lot of it."_

Naruto went back to the clearing and tended to his little garden. He then lay down on the soft ground as he drifted to sleep, exhausted. Unknown to him, a certain lavender-eyed genin watched him the entire time.

Light was still out as she traveled to the Hyuuga estate. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. She had no idea how he was able to keep this a secret. Naruto was able to do an advanced technique which restored the results of his rage. She knew she would never be able to hold that much anger in for the amount of time that Naruto did. She noticed that Naruto kept a smile on his face, until he reached the forest, that is. Then, Naruto began to seem real as the smile fell and the rage and pain shone bright. She was absolutely surprised at the clearing he had for himself, but she was really surprised at his actions. Naruto leveled about 50 square feet of forest and regenerated it in the span of 20 minutes. This fact brought gave Hinata a newfound respect for the blonde child as she walked into her family's estate.

(The next Day)

Naruto woke up feeling somewhat relaxed. He looked at his makeshift clock to see that he had around 45 minutes to get ready. He slowly got up and started walking towards the normal meeting area to await Kakashi. About 50 feet away from the bridge, in the trees, Naruto remembered certain things from yesterday. Naruto immediately created some shadow clones and had one of them approach the other two members of his team. They were obviously waiting for him to interrogate him about yesterday's events. Naruto sat on a high branch as he generated clone after clone. He watched the play turning out as Sakura and Sasuke clobbered the Naruto clones. Naruto was barely winded as Kakashi showed up to find a pink-haired figure and a raven-haired figure attacking a blonde child. Naruto jumped down, scaring the crap out of Sakura and screaming at Kakashi.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"Sorry, I got lost on the road of life." All of the present sweat-dropped as Kakashi's eye closed to form an upside-down "U". Practice proceeded with the genin running drills and doing D-class missions.

(Time Jump, about 2 weeks later)

"This is Raven; I am at point B" was heard through a two-way radio.

"This is Bubblegum; I am at point C" was heard soon after.

"This is Prank-Master; I am at point A" was heard about 5 seconds later

"Okay, everyone, that target is about 10 meters away, get ready." This voice was heard about 10 seconds after the last one. A silence was heard on the radio for about a minute.

"GO!" was suddenly heard as three figures jumped into action. Sounds of fighting could be heard as something is restrained.

"Confirm; the target has a red ribbon on its ear."

"This is Raven; target confirmed, mission successful."

Kakashi, sitting on a stump, chose that moment to pull the radio away to avoid an ear-spitting remark.

"CAN WE DO SOMETHING ELSE! THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THAT WE HAD TO CATCH THIS DAMN CAT!"

(Scene change)

The three genin were standing in the mission center, awaiting the next mission. All of them were not willing to say it, but they wanted a better mission. Well, not all of them…

"Hokage-oji-san; we want a better mission! We've been doing this kind of junk for two weeks now!"

"Naruto; these missions are given to you for a reason! You aren't experienced enough to get a higher ranking mission!" Iruka yelled from his seat next to the Hokage. He was helping out the mission assignments today.

"It's okay Iruka; obviously he doesn't know how we work here. Now, Naruto, the missions are divided into ranks, A, B, C, or D. Genin are assigned D missions and some C missions. Chuunin are assigned C missions and some B missions. Jounin are assigned B missions and A missions. You are given missions to fit your experience…"

Sarutobi saw that Naruto had his back turned as he trailed off. He could hear the conversation as Naruto spoke.

"So, homemade ramen is much better than instant ramen. The instant ramen tastes unnatural. The ramen that you buy at a ramen stand is much better than the instant, but I still say that homemade ramen is the best…"

Iruka yelled at Naruto, seeing that he wasn't listening… again. "NARUTO, YOU LISTEN TO THE HOKAGE WHEN HE'S TALKING TO YOU!"

"But, Iruka-sensei, I don't have a problem with that. I just want a better mission. I didn't become a ninja to pull weeds and catch cats!" Naruto had an after-thought as he said this. _"I became a ninja to be able to pay for the necessities. Your allowance doesn't go very far, Old Man."_

"Okay, we'll give you a harder mission. It seems that more is better in this situation." Naruto began to cheer loudly as Sasuke and Sakura cheered inwardly. Kakashi then bonked Naruto's head, shutting him up quite easily.

"Your mission is to guard a couple of bridge builders from the Country of Waves. You will be going with Team 8 on this mission. Let the client come in, please."

Two men came into the room. One looked gangly as he drank from a sake bottle. The children winced at the strong scent. The other looked slightly less gangly and had his arms crossed.

"These are the people guarding us? They all look like brats, especially the short, stupid one. Isn't that right, Kito?"

"Eh, Tazuna, the short one's not that bad."

Naruto threw a kunai, which hit about an inch away from Tazuna's head. Tazuna looked scared shitless as he looked at the source. Naruto was visibly angry.

"See, Tazuna, I told you the little one wasn't all that bad." Kito said as Tazuna recovered.

The door crept open as four figures arrived through the door. Team 8 stood there looking at the people in the room when Kiba suddenly rushed out of the room holding his nose. When Kiba returned, they approached the Hokage to get the mission scroll.

"Team 7 will accompany you on this mission. I think you will find their abilities useful on the task ahead." The Third's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper as he spoke again. "Also, the people at that restaurant were punished for their actions. You need not worry about them anymore."

Kurenai smiled as the people cleared out of the room. The genin were to meet at the gate at 1:00 in the afternoon, ready to go.

(At the gate)

Everyone present was starting to get annoyed to a certain extent. The clients were sitting on the ground, waiting for one terminally late jounin. Kurenai and Kiba had similar expressions as they were ready to yell at the jounin. Shino was slightly annoyed but he didn't show it. He was currently involved in a conversation between Naruto, himself, and Hinata. Hinata was also slightly annoyed, but she was mostly embarrassed as Naruto was speaking to her. Team 7 was used to this so they waited while entertaining themselves somehow.

When Kakashi finally showed up, it was about 3:30 in the afternoon and the genin were pissed. The genin present, save for Hinata, Shino and Sasuke, yelled out in unison.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

The other genin glared daggers at the jounin as Kurenai smacked Kakashi over the head. The clients grumbled a "Let's go" and they left the gates of Konoha.

(A little Later)

The genin were on the road, surrounding Tazuna and Kito. The jounin were in front; Hinata and Naruto were on the clients' left side with Hinata closer to the front. Sakura and Sasuke were on the right side with Sasuke near the front and Shino and Kiba were on the rear end with Shino standing closer to Naruto than Sakura. The genin were involved in their own conversations as the traversed on the dirt path. Sakura and Sasuke were absolutely peeved since they couldn't interrogate Naruto. Naruto was obviously talking to Hinata and Shino as they walked. Shino responded to Naruto's questions with few words, but Naruto didn't pay any mind. Hinata was more active in her speech, though she always responded shyly.

"So, Hinata-san, Shino-san, how have you two been doing lately."

"O-okay, Naruto-kun; w-we've been h-having a few D-rank missions, b-but we mostly train in t-teamwork" Hinata stuttered out. Shino spoke up soon after.

"We have been practicing more than doing missions, but it's understandable. How have you been doing Uzumaki-san?"

"I would say it was alright, but both practice and missions are really boring. I can't believe that ninjas have to do this kind of stuff."

The group walked in silence for a few moments. Shino then spoke up again. The statement in question made Naruto freeze up in his mind.

"The bugs are grateful to you for your kindness. You have rebuilt their homes in the forest and they thank you for it."

Nobody else heard, but Naruto still was slightly flustered on the outside. In Naruto's mind, he was absolutely panicking.

"_Oh, shit, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. This is absolutely perfect. Now another one knows about it. How am I going to explain this! Okay, Naruto, calm down. It's just Shino we're talking about. He knows how to keep a secret. It's not like he's going to tell anyone else. If he did, everybody would be on my case for the rest of the mission. Alright, it's okay. You can relax. Take deep breaths. Calm down."_

Naruto outwardly sighed as the hurricane of thoughts subsided. He looked around, reminded that he was on an escort mission. He then saw something out of place on the road. _"A puddle; why would there be a puddle in this weather? Something's up; I just know it. I better make sure, though."_

"Hey, Shino-san, can you send a few of your bugs to that puddle over there? I want to see something." Naruto said quietly. Nobody heard this other than the desired person and Shino gave a slight nod as he released his bugs. The jounin noticed a small swarm of bugs pounce on the puddle they were watching. All the people present then heard muffled screams as the bugs dug deeper into the puddle. Shino smiled as he called his bugs back and prepared for battle. The two rogue ninja rose quickly out of the puddle and headed towards the two jounin. The rogue ninja were connected by a large bladed chain and ran in unison as they closed in on their targets. The jounin were wrapped up the large bladed chain and ripped to shreds. At least, that is what a few of the genin thought. Two logs were suspended in the air, chopped to bits, for a few seconds before falling to the ground. They then started to head towards the people they thought were the weakest, namely Hinata and Naruto. Naruto whipped up and pushed Hinata out of the way, both genin falling to the ground. Sakura instantly stood in front of Tazuna and Kito as they stood in shock. Hinata recovered quickly and followed suit, dropping into a Juuken stance, Byakugan active. Sasuke uses Katon: Goukakyuu, but the nukenin dodged it relatively easily. The next thing the two saw was a swarm of orange heading towards them. The real Naruto was among them. The nukenin began to hack and slash through the clones as Naruto closed in on the two. Naruto felt a jolt of pain as the chain ripped through his skin. He threw a few shuriken and kunai, pinning them to the tree. Naruto then jumped back as Kiba tackled them with Shiyaku no Jutsu. As they tried to recover, Kiba jumped away just in time as the nukenin were hit directly with a Katon: Goukakyuu. The mist nukenin lay on the incinerated tree, unconscious.

The jounin came soon after and tied the attackers to another tree and left them to await a hunter nin. The two jounin then turned to their clients and asked them a single question.

"Why did you lie to us?"

The clients looked nervous as Naruto pierced his hand and let the poison leak out. Hinata watched closely, worried that he might leak out too much blood. Hinata then ran to her pack and dug in it, looking for something. Tazuna began to speak when Kito stopped him.

"Tazuna, I'll take care of this. You'll probably lead them on with something about Tsunami-chan and Inari-kun." Kito then turned to Kurenai and Kakashi and spoke again. "I'll explain as we move. As you can probably tell, it's not safe to linger very long."

Kakashi nodded as he took a look at Naruto's hand. His eye widened as the wound healed on its own. Hinata ran back, bandage in hand and quickly covered the wound from sight. Naruto then cheerfully thanked Hinata as the ninja moved back into formation. The group walked the remaining way to the docks and boarded a small craft as they rowed across the lake. Kito then started to explain as they moved along.

"Now, the explanation; as you probably know, we are building a bridge from that island to the mainland where Konoha is. What you don't know is that our country absolutely needs this bridge."

"Why?" Sakura asked, curious.

"Have you ever heard of Gatou?"

"What, the shipping company?" Sakura asked.

"That's the one. The shipping company is just a front to hide his real operations. He is a leader in smuggling drugs and illegal imports. He basically rules the economy over in our country. He does not allow many exports or imports so our town has become impoverished and famine-stricken. By completing this bridge, our economy can begin to recover. Gatou sees this as a threat and so targets us, the bridge builders. With us out of the way, the bridge can never be completed."

The people present wore looks of understanding as Kito continued. "My brother and I were barely able to scrape enough funds for a C-class mission let alone a B or A-class mission. We had to lie to get help and protection. Now, the choice at hand, you can either continue the mission or end it as soon as we land. If you follow the latter, my brother and I would probably be dead before we reach home."

Kakashi and Kurenai faced their pupils and waited for a response. Kakashi spoke to his students as Kurenai spoke to hers.

"That is up to you genin. Next time, the ninja will probably be at a jounin rank. Do you wish to continue?"

"Kakashi is correct. The choice is yours. You will be risking your lives in the next battle we face. Will you proceed?"

Naruto spoke up first. "That is what we agreed to do when we became genin. You said we were risking our lives in every mission yourself, Kakashi-sensei. I'm staying."

"Naruto is actually right for once. I'm still in this." Sakura said soon after. Sasuke grunted, which could only be interpreted as a "Yes".

"If the idiot can stay in this, I'm staying too." Kiba said confidently.

"I-I'm s-staying." Hinata stuttered. Shino nodded, signaling his support.

Kakashi smiled. "So it's settled. Tazuna-san, Kito-san, you have a few protectors on your side."

They reached land shortly after and traversed once again towards the bridge builders' house.

(End chapter)

Technique List:

Touboku Saisei: Fallen Tree Regeneration; made by Naruto, uses dead tree parts to re-grow trees. Naruto uses this technique to make the results of his anger almost unnoticeable. This technique uses a monstrous amount of chakra to perform.

Juuken: Gentle fist, fighting style used by the Hyuuga clan, requires the Byakugan to perform.

Shiyaku no Jutsu: Quadruped Technique, increases speed and power of the user, makes user like a four-legged animal.

(End Technique List)

A/N: Sorry to cut it short, but this is about as long as I'll go. I hope it is okay. I personally liked this chapter because it makes my story break away almost completely from the storyline of the real deal. I hope you liked it too. REVIEW PLEASE! PRESS THE PRETTY LITTLE BUTTON!

Revision notice: I noticed a few grammatical errors and **Saotome Kyuubi** noticed a few spelling errors. I am very touchy when it comes to these things so I replaced the chapter. There are only a few changes, but I fixed the chapter for a smoother read, if it wasn't smooth enough already. Thank you **Saotome Kyuubi **for your assistance.


	12. Chapter 11: Strategy

A/N: Okay, even I am curious about what I'm about to write so I'm typing up the next one. I'm starting to get used to long chapters so this one will probably be considerably longer than my other chapters. In fact, I'm planning on finishing the Wave country arc in this chapter. The last chapter was posted on June 19, 2006. I just put this up for self-reference. Anyway, I hope you like my story. Also, I'm sorry for the slow update. The stupid Document Manager is being an idiot and I couldn't post the chapter. Just to clarify, I would have posted this three days ago on June 20, 2006 if the stupid Document Manager was running.

**DrkKni: **To tell the truth, I started based on the original storyline and then asked and answered certain self-asked questions such as, "What if Naruto did this?" or "What if there was another person here?" I'm happy that you like the story, though.

**Korrd: **Ah, yes, the NaruHina part of my story starts to appear. I personally like the small fluffy parts in my story so far. It makes a good balance between Romance, Action and Angst with a little Humor thrown in.

**MissNaye: **That doesn't mean that they'll keep quiet about it.

**Underdark Ranger: **To tell the truth, I came up with that one on a whim. I'll try to explain it some during this chapter.

**NarutoNineTails: **I'm glad you like it. I hope you stick around as I write this. I update relatively quickly. If I'm slow on the update, the Document Manager is being an idiot and I can't upload my document to the site most of the time.

**Dragon Man 180: **Thanks for the comment about trailing away from the series. I like messing with people's heads in stories. As for the restaurant incident, I like Kurenai somewhat. She is sensitive to her students' well being. It's pretty hard making that kind of person mean to Naruto while being nice to her team. I personally like my battle scene with the Demon Brothers. To tell the truth, I don't think I put enough detail into it.

**Saotome Kyuubi:** Thank you so much! I changed the errors in the last chapter for you to clarify. I'm picky that way. Also, I'm sorry for updating so quickly. I really would have appreciated your input. By the way, I pride myself on the lack of grammatical and spelling errors. I hate having to decode every sentence so I want to make it so you don't have to, at least, in my story.

**Anime-Boy07: **Aw, sleeping Ronald is so cute. It's okay that you did this. I'm still sore after the Edward incident, but as long as Ronald doesn't develop narcolepsy, I'm okay with this.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **You shouldn't pull a Gaara too often, it's unhealthy. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story. Also, I think highly of Tellemicus' "Legacy of the Rasengan" as well. It's good that it isn't just a mockup of that story.

**LoveDetermination: **You'll see what I'll do in this little chapter. I hope you like it!

**Nantukoprime: **I tried to explain things in this chapter. I hope you're satisfied by it. I personally thought of that relatively quickly on a whim.

**VFSNAKE: **Fluffy, that is all I'm going to give you for a little description of an event in this chapter. Also, Kyuubi does come out to play, if only for a short time.

**Samgurlalways: **This is the first? Wow, I'm honored that you like my story. I hope you stick around!

**Nairit: **Nice little interrogation session, by the way. Let's see, in that order, I couldn't get some NaruHina action without doing so; they figure that Shino detected it, and Shino was defending the clients. I hope that answers your questions.

**Kitsu Maharu: **I'm glad you didn't find anything wrong. (Gives giant stuffed toy of a cow) Here's a cow for you. I made the chapter longer so it took a while to type it.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I thought I did that already. Oh well, I did it anyway. Look down the page a little bit. It's right after the review responses. Also, don't worry, I'll stop. The similarities end there, I hope. One more thing, I'm a little new at this, what's a beta?

**FairyQilan: **Thanks for your input. I'm glad you like it. Don't worry; I won't flood this story with detail. I'll just give enough to fill the cup.

**Dragonzice: **I update pretty fast now that it's summer vacation. I hope you stick around.

**Hiei098: **I'm glad you like it. I hope you stick around and read it!

**Don't expect anything. Then you are never disappointed. :** Actually, he doesn't. Usually, he would have sensed her immediately, but Naruto was too pissed to notice.

**Alina11: **It won't last that long. In fact, the arc ends in this chapter.

**Chidori vs. Rasengan: **Okay then Shikamaru, I'm glad you like it!

**ShadowBack: **I'm really glad you like the story. I like to make the characters as real as possible without making it unrealistic.

One more thing, I want to give a well-overdue credit to **Tellemicus Sundance **for his idea. I may have given an extremely vague credit sometime in my story, but I just want to clarify. Sorry about that, **Tellemicus!** By the way, if you hadn't noticed, I took the idea for Juukai Enmu from **T.S.'s** Enmaku no Jutsu. I do recommend you read his story, though. It's called "Legacy of the Rasengan."

Reviews are nice. They make me happy. Please review when you are done with the chapter. I will respond.

Here is the twelfth installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: Hello everybody, I am Mary the talking puppy. Please don't say **Omegaguardian** owns Naruto. He doesn't like lawsuits very much. (Wags tail and looks at readers with puppy eyes)

(Chapter begins)

Naruto whipped his head up quickly, gaining the attention of both Hinata and Shino. Naruto spoke to Hinata softly but seriously.

"Hinata-san, can you look around for a bit? I think I sense something."

Hinata nodded in front of him and activated her Byakugan. She saw a foreign chakra signature in one of the trees. She then spoke as softly as Naruto did moments ago.

"Naruto-kun, there's something there, like you said" she said without stuttering. She was serious at the moment and wasn't concerned about her embarrassment.

Hinata kept her Byakugan active as Naruto sensed something. Kakashi, Kurenai, Naruto and Hinata yelled out two words in complete unison.

"GET DOWN!"

A sword came out of nowhere as the genin dove to the ground. Naruto took Tazuna down with him as Hinata took Kito down. The sword embedded itself in a nearby tree. Soon after, a figure stood on top of the handle. The genin stood, immediately forming a circle around the clients.

"You are Momochi Zabuza, nukenin previously of the Village Hidden in the Mist, I presume."

"Kakashi of the Sharingan, I should have known. That's why the Demon Brothers lost so easily. It's an honor to finally meet you. I'm afraid you will have to hand over the two geezers over there" the figure said sarcastically. Kakashi and Kurenai dropped into battle stances as Kakashi reached up to his forehead protector. Kakashi then began to speak again.

"Everyone, get into formation and protect Tazuna and Kito. Don't get in the way."

A thick mist fell on the area as Zabuza yanked out his sword and disappeared in a flash. The people present next saw Zabuza on the water focusing his chakra into the water surrounding him. He then said one phrase.

"Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu"

A heavier mist fell upon the area as Zabuza completely disappeared. Kurenai and Kakashi moved forward and prepared for battle.

Zabuza started to speak n a creepy voice which seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Eight points; the spinal column, the larynx, the lungs, the kidneys, the jugular vein, the collarbone, the liver and the heart; now, which point do you wish to die by?"

Naruto began to think of a strategy to use in this battle. _"Damn, I can't use any of my original techniques because Sasuke and Sakura are here. If it comes down to it, I will probably have no choice. They are not getting them out of me, though. For now, I think this will at least help Kakashi-sensei and Kurenai-sensei."_

Naruto started to make three hand-seals before forcing his hands to the general area of the battle. Hinata and Shino, flanking Naruto on both sides, heard a soft whisper out of Naruto.

"Fuuton: Toppuu no Jutsu"

Shino smirked slightly under his high-collared jacket as he realized Naruto's plan. Hinata was surprised at Naruto's actions as she saw the chakra being focused and released through his palms due to the Byakugan. Naruto quickly put his hands to its normal position. Luckily, Sasuke, Sakura and Kiba didn't see to notice since their backs were turned to Naruto.

The gust blew from the genin's to the battle area as the three jounin ninja felt a small draft. The mist blew away, leaving Zabuza completely exposed. Kakashi noted to ask Naruto about this wind. Kurenai started to make hand-seal as Kakashi charged. To Zabuza, he saw the copy ninja flying towards him as a large plume of fire surrounded him. Kakashi burst from the flames to impale Zabuza, only to have water explode from the body. Zabuza came behind the genin and tried to swing his sword. Shino wrapped Zabuza's feet with his bugs, rendering him immobile. Sakura moved Kito away as Kiba moved Tazuna. Naruto used Kage Bunshin to swarm upon Zabuza as Sasuke used Katon: Goukakyuu to blow him away. This one turned into steamas the water evaporated. Hinata detected another Zabuza behind her so she immediately used Juuken techniques to hold him until Kiba came and hit Zabuza with Shiyaku. This one blew away as another Zabuza appeared behind Kurenai. Kurenai and Kakashi hit him in unison as it burst into water. Kakashi and Kurenai saw another Zabuza swinging his large blade. To escape, they jumped to the pond nearby. Zabuza appeared behind them making hand-seals.

"Big mistake; you shouldn't have tried to go to the water. Suirou no Jutsu" Zabuza said before the water in the lake surrounded the two jounin.

"Run everybody! You can't win against this guy!" Kakashi shouted to the genin. Kakashi shouted a similar phrase.

"They can't run very far. I'll catch them one way or another. Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu" Zabuza said before five water clones came into existence. One of them cast another mist using Kirigakure no Jutsu while another knocked Naruto down.

"You weaklings call yourself ninja. What a joke! A true ninja is a person who has gone through multiple brushes with death. If you are good enough to be put in my assassination book, then you may call yourself a ninja." Zabuza stepped on Naruto's headband as it fell to the ground in front of him. "I wouldn't be surprised if this was made of paper."

Sasuke charged at this point, convinced that they could not run away since Kakashi was caught. Suffering of minor chakra depletion, Sasuke tried to hit Zabuza's clone with a kunai, only to have his neck caught by the clone's hand. Sasuke was thrown at this point and his body hit Kiba along the way. Sakura and Hinata continued to guard Tazuna and Kito as they stared in awe. Naruto charged forward and attempted to attack Zabuza. Sakura and Hinata looked on in shock as Sakura called out.

"Naruto, you idiot! You can't beat someone like that!" Sakura shouted Hinata gasped as she saw Naruto fall to the ground.

Naruto looked around as he stood and saw Kiba and Sasuke knocked out. He figured that Hinata and Sakura needed to guard Tazuna and Kito while he executed his plan.

"Hinata, can you look at Sasuke and Kiba? Shino can take your place in guarding while you examine them." Naruto said seriously. "I'm going to get this eyebrow-less freak."

Zabuza smirked as he saw Naruto jump into the air and perform a seal. Suddenly, 100 Naruto clones came into existence. All of them jumped into the air and tackled the water clones. As they were thrown back by Zabuza's swords, He saw about 35 Naruto clones jump back into the air. About 17 of them were holding something. The other 18 clones were finishing a seal order. They shouted in unison as the 17 clones threw Fuuma Shuriken and the other 18 moved their hands forward.

"Kage Bunshin Hijutsu: Kaze no Ame: Toppuu!"

The Fuuma Shuriken was accelerated as the immense wind hit them. Zabuza's clones were caught off guard by the accelerated projectiles and were destroyed instantly. The real Zabuza was unable to dodge without releasing the Water Prison so Zabuza pulled his hand out of the sphere, freeing Kakashi and Kurenai. Only one of the Fuuma Shuriken hit, leaving a large gash in Zabuza's side. The Fuuma Shuriken puffed out of existence, their task complete. Zabuza staggered, glaring in anger at the young smirking blonde near the targets. Zabuza charged as Kakashi jumped in front of him.

"I am your opponent."

Sakura looked at Naruto relatively strangely. She had never seen such strategy since the final test between Kakashi and Naruto. All the other times she saw Naruto fighting was very sloppy and consisted of the stupid usage of his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Unlike the other battles, yet similar to the battle with Kakashi, this was a match between him and a jounin. Also, this battle is important, unlike the others. In both battles, Naruto could not afford to lose.

Naruto walked back to the others, the conscious genin looking in awe. Even Shino had a raised eyebrow. _"This is very interesting. I never saw Naruto use that much strategic talent against an enemy. I wonder what else he has up his sleeve." _Shino thought as Naruto gave each person his usual greeting. Naruto went back into position beside Shino as Hinata returned from the others. She spoke quietly to Naruto.

"S-sasuke-san and K-kiba-kun s-should be fine. K-kurenai-sensei is looking t-them over as w-we speak."

Naruto nodded as Hinata finished.

Kurenai was indeed tending to the unconscious genin as the others watched the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza. Kakashi and Zabuza exchanged similar blows with Kakashi copying Zabuza's every move and finishing every one of Zabuza's thoughts. The two ninja then jumped back and formed the same seals in the same order. They then shouted out in unison.

"Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

The water under their feet began to quiver as a bulge came out from both sides. Two massive dragons formed from the bulges and rose up into the air. They rushed towards their respective targets and crashed down onto the pond. When the water settled, the genin could see Kakashi and Zabuza in the middle of the lake. Zabuza's massive sword was being pushed against Kakashi's kunai, meeting resistance from Kakashi's strength. They then both jumped backward, Kakashi copying every move Zabuza made.

Eventually, Zabuza became annoyed by Kakashi's antics and made another set of seals. Zabuza looked forward to see Kakashi finishing a seal order with a silhouette of himself behind him. Zabuza froze, holding his seal as Kakashi continued. Kakashi said the name of the technique as Zabuza's eyes opened wide.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu"

A circle of water appeared behind Kakashi and thrust forward, submerging Zabuza in the torrent that was created. Zabuza was frozen in shock as the technique hit him. Zabuza hit a tree extremely hard as four kunai pinned him to the tree. As Kakashi was about to deal the finishing blow, two needles flew from above and hit two points on Zabuza's neck. Zabuza's body fell from the tree it hit as a result, obviously dead. The people present looked upward to see a ninja not much older than Naruto in a mask. The ninja took the body and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

Kakashi, Kurenai and Naruto thought the same thing. _"Wasn't that hunter nin supposed to burn the body?"_

The people that were left in the clearing were about to leave when Kakashi suddenly fell over. Kurenai immediately went over and looked at Kakashi. _"He has a mild case of chakra depletion. It's nothing much to be worried about." _

"Naruto, can you help Sasuke? Shino, can you support Kiba?" Kurenai asked the people present. Kiba and Sasuke were conscious by this point, but they were still unable to walk. Kurenai then picked up Kakashi's unconscious body and they started to travel again. They all then traveled the rest of the way to Tazuna's and Kito's home.

(Scene Change)

Kakashi was bed-ridden for about a week. During that time, Kurenai trained the genin on a few taijutsu drills. When they had time, Sakura and Sasuke spied on Naruto. When he had time, Naruto produced a clone and sat in a tree, watching his teammates spy on his clone. He also watched the others and greeted them at the appropriate time. When he had time, Kiba walked Akamaru in the forest, seeing Naruto at some occasions watching Naruto's teammates spy on Naruto's Kage Bunshin. When he had time, Shino sat at the base of a tree, talking to his bugs and watching Naruto and his teammates closely. When she had time, Hinata trained her Juuken style in the forest under the watchful eye of Naruto. On one such occasion, Naruto paid her a visit.

Naruto walked into a clearing surrounded by trees. This place reminded him somewhat about his own clearing at Konoha. The only difference between this one and his own was the fact that Hinata was there. She was striking a tree with open-palm hits leaving indentations each time. Naruto smiled as he walked up to her.

"Hi, Hinata-san" Naruto said, scaring the heck out of Hinata.

"H-hello, N-Naruto-kun, w-what are y-you doing here?" Hinata said as she tried to control her rapidly beating heart.

"Oh, nothing, I just so happen to be passing by" Naruto responded. "What are you doing here?" Naruto asked kindly.

"I-I'm just p-practicing my J-Juuken attacks" Hinata said shortly after his question.

"Why? Your strikes look perfectly fine to me" Naruto said with a smile. "Also, you managed to hold off one of Zabuza's clones during our fight with him, remember?"

Hinata remembered instantly. The fact that she had to rely on Kiba to destroy it shot her self-confidence. "I-I didn't b-beat it, K-Kiba-kun did. I w-wasn't strong enough to b-beat it on my own."

Naruto smiled as he spoke again. "Hinata-san, you are a genin, a new one at that. You were fighting a jounin and the two of you beat the clone together. I'm sure Kiba wouldn't have been able to beat it on his own, either."

"Y-you beat f-five of t-them, though. I would n-never be able to b-beat you" Hinata said timidly.

"You see, Hinata-san, I'm different. I had to do many things in my childhood that made me this way. Don't try and compare yourself to me. You just be yourself. That's all that matters," Naruto said with an ever-widening smile.

Naruto left a blushing and shocked Hinata to continue her training shortly after.

(A week later)

Kakashi was back on his feet. The only difference was the fact that he was using a set of crutches wherever he went. He was able to get out of bed, but he wasn't able to walk on his own. Training continued as Team 7 and Team 8 sat in front of Kakashi, waiting for instructions. Kurenai went to watch the bridge today.

"Okay, everyone, today we are going to train by climbing trees."

"Uh, Kakashi-sensei, how is that supposed to help us?" Sakura asked.

"Simple," he said with a smile, "you don't use your hands."

A look of confusion was present on all the genin's faces. Shino raised an eyebrow to this statement.

Kakashi noted the looks as he demonstrated. Even on crutches, Kakashi was able to do this exercise. Upside-down on a high branch, he called to the students. "You focus the right amount of chakra to your feet and stick to the tree." Kakashi jumped down, throwing a kunai to each student. "Use this as a marker; try to surpass your previous try each time. Also, Kiba, no claws allowed and Shino, you can't use your bugs in this," Kakashi said.

"_Okay, time to play stupid." _Naruto thought before asking a single question which surprised everyone.

"What's chakra?"

Kakashi sighed before speaking. "Sakura, you explain, I don't feel like it."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll do it." Sakura starts to speak snobbishly as she shows off her intellect.

"Chakra is the energy that ninja use to perform techniques. This energy comes from every cell in the body as well as experience and training. Fusing these two energies and forcing them outward is called "molding chakra." The energy then takes a certain form due to the use of hand-seals."

"_Iruka taught her well."_ Kakashi thought as he nodded his head in approval.

Naruto then spoke again, once again acting like an idiot. "I didn't understand one word of that. If my body gets it, my mind will catch up too."

"Naruto's right for once. We already know how to use chakra" Sasuke said soon after.

"No, you guys don't know how to use your chakra correctly. You need to balance the fusion of energies in you body for you to be able to perform a technique. If you aren't able to, the technique may be weakened or it may not manifest at all. That is what this drill is about. You have to focus and control your chakra level while focusing it to the soles of your feet which are theoretically the hardest area to focus chakra to. After you master this exercise you should be able to learn any technique, theoretically anyway" Kakashi said. He then walked to the far side of the clearing to watch them as they tried.

Each student faced a different tree as they started. Kiba went about 10 feet high before jumping down. Shino walked calmly about 20 feet before jumping down softly. Sasuke got about the same height as Shino before too much chakra leaked out, leaving an imprint on the tree. Hinata got about 3 feet upward before falling to the ground. Naruto fell on his back as soon as he got one foot on the tree. Sakura got to the first branch and lay there, tired. This branch was about 40 feet up. The others looked up as Sakura spoke.

"This is easier than I thought!"

They each had their own individual reactions. Shino shrugged and continued to climb the tree. Kiba didn't pay attention since he was itching to use his claws. Hinata looked down, disappointed in her weakness. Sasuke Scoffed and returned to the tree. Naruto looked up, narrowed his eyes and focused on the tree in front of him. _"I could do that if I wanted to. Since you guys are here, I can't exactly go at my best, can I? I mean, I needed plenty of chakra control to make Touboku Saisei." _Naruto thought as he looked the other genin. He also thought back to when he created the tree regeneration technique.

(Flashback)

Naruto was in his clearing after a long day of school. He was about 11 years old at this time and had the strength to destroy a tree within 5 punches. Naruto was once again releasing his anger into the forest after a mob of villagers destroyed his house again. He had tried to get to the Hokage to report this, but he was barred from entry. Now, Naruto was here, leveling trees and trying to calm down. After about 20 minutes of punching, he noticed something. The clearing he was in extended another hundred feet to each side.

"_Oh, great," _he thought, _"I have to re-grow the trees before my secret clearing ceases to be a secret."_

Naruto spent the next three months trying to develop a new technique to do just that. He tried pumping chakra into a seed and planting it, but the tree only grew about twice as fast. _"I need to make this unnoticeable if I want to keep this a secret. I need to make these trees at least three times my height if I ever want to stay here." _Naruto thought as he went home. He looked at the next unit to find a history lesson on the Shodaime Hokage.

"_Hmm, a wood technique; it looks simple enough, but Shodaime was the only one who was able to do it." _He then thought of the recent lesson concerning healing techniques. Naruto took the time to learn a little bit about them and he learned that healing techniques are just techniques that use chakra to restore the cells of organic life-forms.

"_Well, wood is an organic material. By what is said in this book, theoretically, I should be able to restore the cells of trees if I learn how to. First, however, I have to learn how to do healing techniques." _

During the next few days, Naruto went to the Konoha library to look up a few healing techniques. He went there disguised as another ninja because they would never let him in there. There, he found a scroll on a low level healing technique. He also took a mid-level healing technique to learn, just in case he needed it. He was unable to learn them at first due to his lousy chakra control. He then approached Iruka the next day after school. He was sure to not get into any trouble that day.

"Um, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, getting Iruka's attention.

Iruka turned and looked at the relatively small 11-year-old in front of him. He had to admit, Naruto could be quite the nice person once you actually take the time to get to know him. He smiled as he responded to his student. "Yes, Naruto?"

"What's chakra control?"

"Chakra control is the ability to balance the fusion of energies in your body. You know that chakra is made by fusing physical and mental energies, right?" Naruto nodded in response as Iruka continued. "You can improve chakra control by doing certain chakra control exercises like tree climbing."

"Tree climbing?" Naruto asked. Iruka started to focus chakra and walk on the wall.

"Yeah, you focus your chakra to your feet and you walk up the side of the tree like what I'm doing to this wall. You have to put in the right amount, too. If you put too little, you won't stick to the tree. If you put too much, you destroy it. Do you get what I'm saying Naruto?"

Naruto nodded as he thanked Iruka and rushed out of the room. He went to the forest and started to do the tree climbing exercise. Naruto found it pretty easy and continued to do it until he was just about exhausted. The medical techniques came easily after he did the tree climbing and he learned them quickly. He used a fallen log as his target and tried to do the one of the techniques he found in the library. The first technique had no effect, so he tried the other one. This technique also had no effect so he went back to library to do some more research. The next step was to learn how tree regeneration was different from human regeneration. He researched tirelessly for about 4 months before Naruto actually tested it. He based the technique off of the low level healing technique and adjusted it to work on trees. He had to change a few of the seals to do it, but the result was a tree about half of Naruto's height. Naruto cheerfully practiced the technique, definitely happy about the results. Soon enough, Naruto could produce about 40 trees about three times his height by modifying the mid-level healing technique. Naruto then found out the hard way that the tree restoration technique used one hell of a lot of chakra. He fell to ground, satisfied about his work.

(End Flashback)

Naruto thought of another idea as he finished reminiscing in the past. He remembered another chakra control exercise that Iruka tried to teach him a few years back. _"What if I focus my chakra on my head and feet at the same time? All I need is a leaf." _Naruto looked around and picked up a leaf. He then placed it on his head and focused as he ran up the tree. This time, he got around 10 feet up before jumping off of the tree.

"_Wow, that's much harder than I thought. That's only more of a challenge for me! Let's get started." _Naruto thought as he charged towards the tree once again.

On the other side of the clearing, Kakashi noticed something odd about Naruto's tree climbing. He stood, seemingly to look over his student's progress and slowed as he passed Naruto. Naruto had a leaf on his head as he ran up the tree. That wouldn't be so odd if it wasn't for the fact that the leaf was not moving from its position as Naruto moved up the tree and jumped down. Kakashi's eyes widened as he figured out what Naruto was doing. He was focusing continuously on the leaf on his head while doing the tree-climbing exercise at the same time. He really needed to have a talk with him. Kakashi decided to confront him sometime later and left it as it was for the moment as he checked on the others. Each one of them was progressing as expected. Sakura had reached the top of her tree and sat on a high branch to recover before she went down. Kiba was doing decently at around 25 feet while Shino was progressing smoothly at around 70 feet. Sasuke was jammed at a point 30 feet high as the trunk was sliced again near the same spot. Hinata was doing about as well as Shino was. Naruto was doing poorly but Kakashi saw it was reasonable, considering what he was really doing. Kakashi, satisfied with the day's training, called out to the genin.

"Okay, everybody, that's enough for today. We'll continue tomorrow." Everybody either stopped in their tracks or jumped to the ground, save for Naruto. Naruto continued to run as everybody left. About 10 feet away from the training area, Hinata decided to train with Naruto. She chose a new tree next to Naruto's as she tried to run up the tree again. She got about 30 feet up the tree before jumping down. Both Naruto and Hinata landed at the same time. Naruto turned to face Hinata with a leaf on his head and smiled at Hinata. She returned a small smile as they continued.

They trained for about 2 more hours before Hinata began to get tired. Hinata ran up the tree one more time as Naruto started to land. She got to around 50 feet before she started falling. Naruto, on the ground, noticed that Hinata was not making any motion to land safely. Naruto's eyes widened as he ran towards Hinata's tree. Naruto caught Hinata quickly and set her on the ground softly; resting her back against the tree she was climbing. Naruto noticed that Hinata was asleep.

"_Great, she's unconscious. I guess I'll wait until she wakes up." _Naruto thought as he sat to the right of Hinata's unconscious body. Naruto looked over to the left and saw Hinata's sleeping form. He started to think as he sat next to her. _"You know, she's kind of cute once you get a good look at her." _Naruto paused for a second. _"Wait, what am I thinking? This is your friend you're thinking about!" _

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as Hinata's support on the tree slipped, sending her leaning to her right. Naruto noticed a little too late as Hinata's head fell upon Naruto's chest. Hinata started to smile in her sleep and unconsciously nuzzle Naruto's chest as Naruto stiffened and blushed brightly. Hinata shifted in her sleep to a comfortable position against Naruto. He smiled as he looked at Hinata's serene face. He unconsciously began to stroke her hair as he thought again.

"_Well, I guess it is okay. Hmm, her smile is really beautiful, now that I get a chance to see it." _Naruto paused again and stopped stroking her hair abruptly._ "Okay, Naruto, stop it. People don't think that way towards their friends. Hinata is your friend, nothing more. Stop thinking that way. You can't afford to think that way."_

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted again as Kurenai stepped into the clearing. The first thing she saw was Naruto's face. It was beet red as she saw what was right under it. Hinata had obviously fallen asleep while training and Naruto stayed to watch her. Now, her head is using Naruto's chest as a pillow as she slept peacefully. Naruto looked like a cherry at this point and Kurenai thought that the tables have turned since Hinata is usually the one blushing like a tomato. Naruto spotted her as he began to speak.

"Hinata-chan fell asleep during our training. I stayed behind after everyone left. About a minute later, she came back and we trained together. She leaned on me while she was asleep. I didn't do anything I swear!" Naruto said in a strained whisper.

"Relax, Naruto-san, if I thought you did something, you would be flying back to Konoha the hard way right now," Kurenai laughed as she approached the two genin.

Hinata began to stir as Kurenai came closer. Hinata checked her surroundings as she realized her position on Naruto. A blush came upon her face to match Naruto's as she quickly stood and apologized.

"S-sorry, N-Naruto-kun, I-I d-didn't m-mean to f-fall a-asleep on y-you." Hinata said this shyly yet groggily while holding a bright red blush.

"I-It's okay, Hinata-chan, I didn't mind." Naruto said this while his blush increased tenfold as if it was a contest.

Hinata blushed about as red as Naruto when she heard this statement. Her thoughts surrounded a single question. _"Did Naruto-kun just call me "chan"?" _

As they walked back, it was very silent as both Hinata and Naruto gave bashful looks to each other. When the two genin looked at each other at the same moment, they both looked away and started to blush a deep red. Kurenai chuckled as she thought about what would happen in the future to the two genin. As Hinata went into the house and Naruto was about to follow, Kurenai pointed out one thing to Naruto.

"Do you realize you called Hinata "chan" back there?" Kurenai chuckled as she saw Naruto's blush return with a vengeance.

(The next day)

"_The day is proceeding smoothly,"_ Kurenai thought as she looked at the remaining genin. Shino and Sakura had left with Kakashi to guard the bridge. She chuckled as she saw Hinata and Naruto exchanging bashful looks like they did last night. All of the students improved greatly from yesterday; she could see by the escalation of the marks on the tree. Naruto especially interested her. He was actually doing two chakra exercises at once and is doing astoundingly well when it comes to both at the same time. If he were to do the tree exercise alone, Naruto would probably be with Kakashi right now. _"It's good that he wants to challenge himself. If he didn't, I wouldn't be able to see this." _Kurenai continued to watch the genin closely while being entertained by the budding affection between the two genin.

(Meanwhile)

Sakura yawned on the bridge as the other worked. Having little to no upper body strength, she was unable to help as Kakashi and Shino helped move things along. Kito sat next to her suddenly.

"You're pretty bored out here, huh?"

"Yeah, sorry I can't be of any help."

"Don't sweat it; telling you to help would be like telling Tsunami-chan and Inari-kun to help out here."

The day progressed smoothly as Shino's bugs and Kakashi's brawn helped the building process. Later, Sakura escorted Tazuna to the market to pick some food up for dinner. Sakura looked around and saw homeless wandering the streets. Theft ran rampant as shouts of "Thief!" filled the air every few minutes. As they bought the food, a man had the nerve to reach for Sakura's bag. Sakura noticed immediately and put the fear of God into him with a strong kick to the solar plexus and a loud shout of "Pervert!"

Later, dinner was being served. Sasuke and Naruto were having an eating contest in which both contestants ate so fast, they were unable to hold it in and vomited on the wooden floor. Sakura had had enough by this point and shouted at them.

"If you two are going to throw up, don't eat!"

"No; we need to eat to become stronger," Naruto said as a response. Sasuke nodded in agreement as they began to eat again.

"By the way, Naruto, I need to talk to you," Kakashi said. The other genin looked up at Naruto and Naruto stopped mid-bite. Naruto continued eating as the shock wore off.

As the people finished their dinner, Sakura inquired about something that was bugging her for a while now.

"What is with this torn picture? Inari-kun was staring at it the entire time we ate dinner."

The four residents seemed to freeze up at this point. Inari left and went to his room and Tsunami followed him, calling his name. Tazuna began to speak.

"The person that is torn out of that picture is Inari's father. He wasn't related to him, but Inari was close to him. His name was Kaiza. He was a fisherman following his dream. He was a hero in this village. He saved Inari's life one time when he couldn't swim. He was the country's hope, pride and joy. When Gatou came into power, they executed Kaiza on charges of high treason. The charges are bullshit if you ask me. Inari was never the same after that. Now, he rarely smiles and he always mourns the loss of the man he called father. Since then, Inari has never believed in another hero because the one he knew died before his eyes."

Naruto started to go outside, determined to prove that heroes exist to the little boy.

(Outside)

Naruto walked out onto the deck where Kakashi said to meet him. He said he needed to discuss how he could improve, but Naruto didn't believe one lick of it.

"Naruto," Kakashi called as Naruto turned around "what have you been doing in the forest?"

"I've been doing what you said. You know the tree climbing thing you told us to do? Yeah, I was doing that thing."

"No, I meant, what else are you doing? I noticed that leaf you put on your head."

"_Oh, great, another person who wants to get on my case. I guess it's time to play dumb."_ Naruto thought sullenly.

"Leaf, what leaf?" Naruto asked in response.

"The leaf you've been putting on your forehead to train you chakra control two ways," Kakashi said.

"Oh, that leaf," Naruto said. _"Shit,"_ Naruto thought.

"Have you been doing anything else out there besides climbing trees?"

"_Good, I don't have to tell him anything else. I can end this right here," _Naruto thought.

"No," Naruto said to Kakashi as Kakashi walked towards the house.

"I'll still be watching," Kakashi said as he walked inside.

(The next day)

The next day progressed smoothly like the day before. Each person had their own massive improvements. Naruto in particular had progressed extraordinarily in the past few days leaping a few feet at a time each training session. Nothing special happened that day, except for a certain conversation that occurred that evening.

Team 7 and Team 8 were settled around the table. Each person was finishing their meal and Naruto had his head on the table, tired from all of his training. Naruto had personally gone to the top of the tree and walked back down, still holding the leaf on his head with his chakra. Naruto was extremely satisfied by his progress and he thought nothing could ruin his mood. That is, until Inari decided to say something. Inari began to shed tears as he spoke.

"Why? Why do you train for such a useless cause? Even if you train, you will never win against Gatou's men. Why do you even try?" Inari asked, crying.

"Shut up, I'm different," was the only response that was given from the tired, blonde genin.

"You shut up; looking at you pisses me off! Your life has always been smiles and laughter. You don't know what true pain is! I am not like you!"

Hinata and Kurenai visibly flinched at the harshness of Inari's words. They also knew the truth about Naruto's lifestyle and what his life consisted of. Naruto continued shortly after, matching harshness word for word. He had had enough of this boy's lip. "So, you think you can sit and cry like you're starring in your own melodrama? That really is a good way to fix things. Do you think crying will make anything better? It takes a really big man to cry all day, you big brat!"

Naruto then stood and left. He walked out of the door, resisting the urge to strangle the kid for even thinking about saying that to him.

Sakura shouted out to Naruto as he left through the front door.

"Naruto, you have gone too far! You get back here and apologize to Inari-kun right now!"

Inari then left through the back door, crying as he felt the chill of Naruto's words.

(Meanwhile)

Naruto walked out onto the training field and began to climb the trees until he was exhausted of chakra. He went back to the house and stood at the door as he started to hear something. He listened closely while leaning on the wall as he heard a conversation between Inari and Kakashi.

"You know, Naruto, like you, has never grown up knowing his father," Kakashi said. Inari said nothing. Kakashi continued. "He didn't grow up knowing his mother, either. Also, he didn't have a single friend for the first 6 years of his life." This statement made Inari look up to Kakashi.

"Really, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. However, not once have I ever heard him cry or complain. Not once has he used that as an excuse. He always tries his best to get people to acknowledge him. He risks his life just to fulfill his dreams."

Inari looked down to the lake as Kakashi spoke again. "Naruto probably got sick of crying. What he said to you is probably what he said to himself many times. He doesn't shed tears because he knows it's useless. He probably knows your situation better than anyone else. He knows what it means to be truly strong and he knows the meaning of true pain better than you do. He is, in a way, just like your father."

Naruto smiled as he walked into Inari's house and went to sleep.

(The next day)

"Can you take care of Naruto, Tsunami-san? Naruto will probably be asleep most of the day. He pushed his body to the limit."

Tsunami nodded as she saw her father and uncle walk to the bridge with their seven escorts.

About an hour later, Naruto broke the silence with one phrase.

"Holy Shit, they left without me!" Naruto scrambled to dress and started to run out of the house.

"Bye, Tsunami-san!" Naruto shouted as he rushed out of the house.

Naruto rushed to the bridge. He used the forest route to save time and saw a strange red and brown blob on the forest ground. Naruto looked closely as he saw the carcass of a pig sliced up in ribbons. He immediately went back, thinking that Tsunami and Inari might be in danger. Naruto got to the dock near Tsunami's house when he saw Inari about to be ripped to shreds. Naruto quickly jumped from his position and replaced Inari with a shadow clone. The clone held two kunai and blocked the swords. Naruto appeared behind the two swordsmen and set Inari to the ground.

"The hero always comes at the last minute, huh Inari?" Naruto chuckled as the swordsmen felt a strong draft. The real Naruto bashed their faces in while the clone hit them both in the center of their backs.

Naruto looked at the swords and started to think. _"Hmm, I think I can find a use for those."_

Naruto took the swords from the now unconscious swordsmen and took out a scroll from his jacket. Naruto wrote a small seal and placed the swords on top of it. Naruto then did a few hand-seals and performed Fuken Houin to seal them away. Naruto then turned to Inari and spoke in a conspiratorial tone as he placed the scroll in his jacket.

"Hey, Inari, I want you to keep this a secret from the others. Is that okay?"

Inari smiled and nodded as Tsunami woke up, obviously knocked out by the swordsmen. Naruto then left after cutting Tsunami's bindings, heading for the bridge once more with one thought in his mind.

"_If these idiots are here, that may mean some other idiot may be at the bridge. I may also mean that Zabuza is back. I hope the others are okay."_

(Meanwhile)

Sasuke was having a heck of a time keeping up with the "hunter nin". He was just about as fast as him and he could do techniques with one hand. Now, Sasuke was in trouble since the "hunter nin" named Haku trapped both Hinata and himself in a cage of mirrors. Kiba and Shino were trying to help from the outside, but it wasn't working. Hinata was using her Byakugan to locate Haku and dodge the attacks but he wasn't so lucky. He could focus on Haku's image, but he could only keep up for a little bit of time. His thoughts were interrupted as a rain of needles came from all directions. Hinata was defending relatively well, but she was getting tired from the chakra drain of using the Byakugan.

Suddenly, a gust blew away all the needles as Naruto charged Haku with a few Shadow Clones. They were all hit as Naruto plummeted to the ground. Sasuke thought of something as Naruto tried again. Sasuke used Katon: Goukakyuu to try and hit Haku, but Haku dodged enough to make the attack hit the area near his ankles. This process continued about 5 more times with Sasuke finding it easier to see and aim at Haku each time. Sasuke could finally see where Haku was going and felt a strange force in his eyes. He had activated the Sharingan.

Sasuke formed seals again as he smiled. Naruto used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu once again, thinking of something as he added a few seals. Sasuke didn't see what Naruto was doing but he did see that the clones weren't being hit. The needles seemed to go through them as Haku traversed between them, confused.

"_Did Naruto use Bunshin no Jutsu right now while making it seem like he was doing Kage Bunshin?" _Sasuke thought as he saw something incredible

Suddenly, Naruto hit Haku as he moved between two clones. Sasuke, seeing an opening, used Katon: Goukakyuu to burn Haku. Sasuke finished the attack as he dropped to his knees. That attack took a lot out of him and he used it around 6 times already. Also, the strain of the newly activated Sharingan wasn't helping him much. Haku then attacked Hinata with a rain of needles. Hinata, exhausted, could not move fast enough to dodge so Sasuke ran in front of her to take the multiple hits. Haku released another set of needles as Sasuke fell to the ground. Hinata was able to draw the needles away, but that took the rest of her energy and she collapsed. Naruto watched as both of his friends fell to the ground. He ran over as he picked Hinata up to check her injuries. He suddenly felt an odd force coming from within as Naruto's rage reached levels that it had never reached before. Naruto didn't notice this, but his facial scars widened as his nails turned into claws. His eyes turned red as his canine teeth widened. Naruto looked around to see that he was surrounded by a red aura. He said only one phrase as Haku froze in his tracks, paralyzed in fear.

"You will **die **here."

He only thought of avenging his friends as he charged forward and grabbed Haku once again. This time, Naruto threw Haku through 3 of his mirrors, shattering them instantly. Haku, unable to maintain his mirrors any longer, was forced to allow them to shatter as he flew through the air. Naruto, surrounded in a killer red aura, began to punch and kick Haku at every opportunity, shattering bone after bone with each impact. The mask Haku was wearing began to fall as Naruto was about to deal the finishing blow. Naruto struck Haku in the abdomen as Haku spat out blood. Haku's head drooped as he began to lose consciousness. Haku then immediately noticed something terribly wrong as he whipped his head up and immediately ran off leaving a befuddled and angry Naruto to chase after him.

(Meanwhile)

Kakashi was having one hell of a time. Kurenai was somewhere in this mist, he just couldn't see where. He had already been hit twice as he felt a sinister aura. He heard a gasp from behind him and footsteps heading towards the source of the aura. As Kakashi recognized the aura, his eyes opened in shock. _"Could it be…?" _

Kakashi pulled out a scroll from his jacket and performed a few seals. He called out to Zabuza as he finished.

"Zabuza, this ends here."

Kakashi slammed the scroll into the ground as he said the name of the technique.

"Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu"

The ground began to crack as growls were heard from the fissure. About 20 feet in front of Kakashi, snarls and biting noises could be heard as well as struggling grunts.

Kakashi walked to the source of the sound to see Zabuza ensnared in a cage of biting dogs.

"It's over Zabuza. I will kill you with a technique of my own design. This is one of the few techniques that I did not copy with the Sharingan."

Kakashi then performed three seals; the Ox, the Hare, and the Monkey. He then shouted the name as chakra began to collect in his hand. "CHIDORI!"

Zabuza looked on in shock. _"The chakra is concentrated so much that you can actually see it! That's incredible!" _he thought.

"You should feel honored to die by this technique. Prepare yourself!" Kakashi said as he started to charge forward with a blue chirping orb of charka. Chakra bolts flew off the orb as Kakashi moved. As Kakashi thrust the orb forward, a person appeared in the line of fire.

When the dust cleared, Kakashi could see that Haku had taken the blow. Kakashi looked up in surprise due to the intervention. He saw Zabuza looking smugly as he pulled his sword upward. Zabuza swung downward to hit only air. Kakashi jumped back and set Haku's body down to the ground and closed his eyes. As Kakashi stood, he could see Naruto staring in shock for a moment before turning around to check on the others. Zabuza swung again, giving Kakashi the opportunity to stab each of Zabuza's arms, paralyzing them. A snobby, smug voice was heard shortly after the last match.

Kakashi looked around again to see Kurenai tending to Sasuke as Naruto was healing Hinata with a low level healing technique. Sakura, Kiba and Shino watched the battle between Zabuza and himself. He looked around more to see a small, yet stout man looking smug in his pinstripe suit.

"Ha, the demon of the mist is only a baby demon. It can't even destroy some lousy ninjas. Get ready, you are now about to join your puppet here." The people that were able to see Zabuza could visibly see him shaking in anger.

"Kakashi, do you mind? I need to take out some trash."

"Be my guest. Here, take this." Kakashi passed Zabuza a kunai. Zabuza caught it in his mouth and started to run towards the short man.

"You weren't planning on paying me anyway, Gatou. It was a mistake coming out here." Zabuza said as he rushed through Gatou's lackeys, slicing them in various areas as he passed by. As soon as he reached the end of the crowd of lackeys, Zabuza used the kunai once more to slice Gatou's head off. Zabuza fell on the ground as Gatou's body fell off the bridge, the blood-soaked kunai falling near him.

The lackeys that were still alive started to yell threats to destroy the village. Naruto heard this as Hinata stood and thought one thing. _"Not while I'm around. You're not getting to this village without getting through me."_

Naruto used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu as around 50 clones burst into existence. Kakashi followed suit as Naruto began to speak.

"If you so much as step forward, I will not hesitate to hurt you." Naruto said as the lackeys began to become scared. A metal bolt fell in front of the crowd of outlaws as a hoard of villagers came forward, armed with everything from pitchforks to crossbows. Inari, leading the group, smirked as the outlaws dove into the lake trying to escape as quickly as possible.

(Later)

The bridge was completely finished within a week. The fact that a few shinobi helped the building process was a factor. Naruto helped the most out of the ninja present due to his Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. In fact, Naruto had 50 clones help put on the bridge as he worked as well. Orange clothes and blonde hair could be seen throughout the building site.

Soon after the bridge was completed, the ninja left the country, their task complete. The entire country was present as they left. There was only one part of the bridge that was missing, though.

"What do we name it?" a worker asked.

Tazuna and Kito looked forward to the back of a retreating orange suit and immediately thought of a name. They spoke in unison as the ninja disappeared from sight.

"This bridge is hereby dubbed the Great Naruto Bridge."

(End Chapter)

Technique List:

Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu: Ninja Art: Hiding Mist Technique

Suirou no Jutsu: Water Prison Technique

Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu: Water Clone Technique

Kage Bunshin Hijutsu: Kaze no Ame: Toppuu: Shadow Clone Secret Technique: Rain of Wind: Sudden Gust. This was created by Naruto by fusing the use of Kage Bunshin and the use of Fuuton: Toppuu no Jutsu. Naruto has a number of clones use Fuuton: Toppuu in unison creating a large gale-like wind. To do damage, projectiles can be thrown beforehand. The projectiles are accelerated due to the force of wind and can deal massive damage if the projectiles hit.

Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique

Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu: Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique

Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu: Summoning: Earth Release: Tracking Fang Technique

Chidori: Thousand Birds, created by Kakashi

(End Techniques)

A/N: Damn, that is one hell of a long chapter. It took me two days to type it up. I hope you like it. I know I did. I'll post the next chapter when I fell like posting it. I thank you all for your support. Review with the tiny little button please. I really hope I'm starting to make my own story here, so please post your opinions. Bye for now!

Revision Notice: Thank you **Kitsu Maharu **for pointing out certain mistakes in my writing. I appreciate your input. Here's another fluffy cow. (gives stuffed animal of a cow) (6/26/06)


	13. Chapter 12: Festival

A/N: Wow, there are 20 reviews on the last chapter. I'm impressed. I like reviews and comments, even if they are slightly negative. I mean, everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, am I correct? Anyway, here are the review responses.

**NarutoNineTails: **I'm glad you think so. I am going to go straight to the chuunin exams, but I assure you that the battles will be different.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you like my story. As a reward for not pulling any more Gaaras, I am giving you this. (Gives little plushie of Gaara) Enjoy!

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **Hmm, that is not a bad idea. Next time I describe the hand-seals, I'll use that Japanese names. Thanks for the suggestion.

**Ecchi-Anbu: **OH NO! I'm getting boring? This is bad, really bad, really really bad. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll try and make things more interesting this time around.

**VFSNAKE: **Hmm, let's see, in that order, Zabuza's sword was put over his grave when both Haku and Zabuza were given a proper burial. Zabuza's sword is left as a grave marker. I'm sorry; Naruto thought that taking Zabuza's sword/grave marker would be disrespectful to Zabuza. Kiba, Shino and Sakura did not see Naruto beat the living hell out of Haku due to the thick mist, but Shino knew that he did. Finally, I'm sorry; Haku did die from Kakashi's Chidori attack. I hope that clarifies things for you. I'm able to answer your questions anytime.

**Mistassassin: **I update relatively quickly unless the Document Manager is being stupid or I'm thinking about the story. I hope you stick around.

**Japanese of Red Dog: **I'm glad you like it.

**Matt and T.K.: **Thanks, Matt. The mask will break, I assure you. The thing is that the mask will probably not slip while Sakura and Sasuke are around.

**Dragon Man 180: **True, Naruto did beat the living hell out of Haku, but he was still able to move one last time to save his "precious person". I think I did a good job on the explanation, if I say so myself. I also like the little bit of fluff I placed in the story. I man, that is the only reason I had Team 8 come along in this mission.

**Narut0-fan101: **Thanks for the review. I appreciate it even if it is only a few words.

**Anime girl987: **Naruto's seal did not weaken earlier in the story. If it did, I don't know where I said that. Actually, I don't think the seal weakened at all, even when Naruto accessed Kyuubi's power in Wave Country. Anyway, I'm glad you like it.

**Dragonzice: **It did help him in chakra control and it did give a small explanation to why he was doing so poorly. If I saw someone doing that, I'd say it was genius at work. Also, yes; I am doing the chuunin exams.

**Silver Warrior: **Yeah, it's a good story, isn't it? I have to hand it to **Tellemicus; **he does a pretty good ob on his stories.

**ShadowBack: **I like to make my characters, no matter how minor, as realistic as possible. Even if a person only appears in one scene, it doesn't mean he or she was never there. Also, even I would have liked to be in Kurenai's place in that particular scene. That would have been so cute!

**Spycon fighter: **Don't worry; I will.

**Alina11: **I know. I'm actually making a few things up from my own head in this chapter and the next. Thanks for pointing that out, though.

**Jules-Gemma:** Thanks for your input. I'm trying to make this as original as possible without confusing the heck out of you. I hate it when you're reading and then suddenly you're lost because the author didn't clarify.

**Anime-Boy07: **Yeah, Mary is such a cute little puppy. Also, I am also a devout supporter of Naruto/Hinata pairings.

**Kitsu Maharu:** Thanks for your help in pointing out certain things. As much a as I go over my work, I sometimes forget to fix certain things. Anyway, did you get my gift at the end of my last chapter?

**Samgurlalways: **I'm glad you like it. Keep reading!

Anyway, I like reviews. They make me happy.

By the way, this chapter is what I call a "bridge chapter". There is really nothing here that is truly interesting (in my opinion). If you don't like it, I'm telling you, I don't like it either.

Here is the 13th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: ROAR! **Omegaguardian **does not own Naruto! He… aw man, I can't do this. I'm just not naturally vicious.

**OG: **I'm not the one who told you to do that, Juniper. Now, go on home, you cute little kitty, you. (Pets Juniper the orange kitty)

Juniper: (Purrs then snaps eyes open) Hey, watch it! I'm still capable of clawing your eyes out, you know. (Walks off)

**OG: **(Laughs)So, yeah, I don't like lawsuits. Listen to what Juniper said a little earlier.

(Chapter Begins)

Naruto and the other genin were dismissed as soon as they got into the gates of Konoha. It was about 7:00 in the morning, but about half of the genin looked tired. Sakura, Sasuke, and Kiba were tired from the journey while Hinata, Naruto and Shino looked absolutely fine. Hinata was conserving chakra during the trip home and nobody could tell weather Shino was tired or not. Naruto was always the bundle of energy he always was and he basically bounced on every step. As soon as they got into the gates, Naruto immediately ran off, leaving Sakura and Sasuke in the dust. Naruto, still able to train, thought of something. He went to the nearest weapons shop disguised as another shinobi and bought a set of weights. He put them on under his clothes and went to the forest. Naruto frowned as he realized something. _"Damn, I'm used to these weights already? I need to find a way to increase the weight on these things without spending any more money or else I'll go broke!"_

He sensed someone behind him so he didn't go the clearing like he usually would. Naruto was about 80 pounds heavier since he put on the weights. To practice using the weights, Naruto started to do the chakra control exercises he did back in Wave Country. As he jumped down from about 60 feet, he saw a blue haired person hiding and peeking towards Naruto behind one of the trees. Naruto smiled as he landed. _"She is really cute when she does that," _Naruto thought before mentally reprimanding himself. As he positioned himself near the tree again, he spoke.

"Hi Hinata-chan, would you like to train with me?"

He sensed some shocked movement from behind the tree as Hinata moved into the light. She walked timidly towards Naruto as she started to speak.

"H-hello N-Naruto-kun; w-what are y-you doing?"

"Nothing much, I'm just training my chakra control. I know it stinks and I'm trying to improve it. Would you like to join me?"

Hinata shyly nodded as Naruto smiled. Naruto picked up a leaf and placed it on her head. Hinata looked up and stared at Naruto in confusion.

"This was what I was doing back in Wave Country. Try to run up the tree while focusing your chakra on the leaf at the same time. You have to pour the exact amount of chakra into the leaf so it will stay on your head while keeping a constant flow to your feet so you can run up the tree. It took me a while to figure it out and it's harder than it looks," Naruto said. After saying this, Naruto started to position himself to run up the tree again.

Hinata looked at Naruto with wide eyes as she heard what Naruto was saying. _"So, that's what Naruto-kun was doing. That's why he had difficulty doing the exercise. I have one question, though."_

Summoning an amount of courage, Hinata spoke again. "N-Naruto-kun, h-how would you do if y-you did the t-tree climbing e-exercise alone?"

Naruto turned to Hinata and smiled. "Well, let's find out, shall we," Naruto said as he bent down and removed his leg weights. He also took off his arm weights before taking the leaf off of his forehead. Hinata looked at Naruto with wide eyes once again. This time, Naruto noticed and said something.

"Just so you know; I just got these." Naruto casually walked up the tree and reached the top before he turned and walked back down. Hinata stared at him in awe while Naruto looked at his feet in surprise. _"Wow, I wasn't usually able to go up the tree without a running start. The leaf thing must have really helped," _Naruto thought as he reached the ground without breaking a sweat. He put on the weights again and looked at Hinata. She was now looking in awe as Naruto placed the leaf on his head. Naruto looked at her head to see that the leaf had fallen off. Naruto stood with another leaf and he put it on her head. Naruto smiled as he started to speak again.

"So, do you want to join me in training?"

Hinata gave a small smile as she started to climb the tree. Incredibly, Hinata mastered it within 4 hours. Naruto's jaw hit the floor as Hinata gave a bright smile. Naruto's thoughts began to wander as Hinata looked satisfied in her work. _"She looks really happy about that. From the smile on her face, it seems as if she is truly amazed at her progress." _

Naruto walked up to Hinata. Hinata looked at Naruto and Naruto could see the smile she had visibly drain from her features. Naruto looked confused for a second before speaking.

"Nice job Hinata-chan; it took me three days to master this. At this rate, you're going to be the best kunoichi in Konoha! Anyway, as a reward, I'm going to teach you something!" Naruto said as Hinata looked up in confusion. She never had much praise for her accomplishments. She was always the person that was "in the way" in all her team's missions.

As the words that Naruto said registered in her mind, she started to protest. "T-there's no need, N-Naruto-kun, I-It's o-okay."

Naruto smiled brightly at the girl in front of her. "Nonsense, Hinata-chan, you deserve it. Besides, I trust you enough to keep this a secret, right?"

Naruto turned around and started to walk off. Naruto signaled for Hinata to follow and she did. Naruto led Hinata to an area about 20 feet from his clearing. Naruto turned around and sat on the ground. Naruto then cut himself with his kunai on his leg. Hinata gasped as she pulled out a bandage. Naruto stopped her and he tried to begin to speak. He was interrupted by a loud noise.

"HEY NARUTO, what are you doing here with Hinata!" Naruto and Hinata looked up to see a gray and angry figure up in the trees. He was about to speak again as Naruto spoke. Naruto also noticed that his leg had already healed.

"Oh, hey Kiba, I'm teaching her something because she deserves a reward for mastering my chakra control exercise." Kiba began to speak again when Naruto interrupted him. "No, Kiba, I'm not going to teach you and I'm not doing anything perverted with Hinata-chan. If you must know, I'm teaching her this." Naruto then slashed his leg again and performed some hand-seals. Hinata gasped again as Kiba twitched, thinking Naruto was crazy. He placed his hands over his bleeding leg and the two genin present noticed the wound that was healing at an incredible rate.

"This is Kousei no Jutsu. This technique can heal minor to moderate injuries, may it be internal or external. It's the exact technique I used on you back in Wave, Hinata-chan," Naruto told Hinata. He turned to Kiba, and started to speak again.

"Kiba; I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. When you gain my trust, maybe I'll teach you. Right now, I'm sorry to say; you don't have enough of it for me to teach you anything about me. However, I realize that you only came here to see where your teammate was and I respect that."

Kiba smiled and nodded as he jumped and left through the trees. He now knew that this Naruto person could be trusted, if only a little.

As soon as Naruto felt Kiba's chakra vanish, he turned to Hinata again. "Now, the seals are Ne, Tori, Inu, Saru and Tatsu, in that order (Rat, Bird, Dog, Monkey, and Dragon). You need incredible chakra control to do this correctly, but I don't think that'll be a problem for you. We'll use my body as your target. Don't worry about it, I heal pretty fast and I won't cut in lethal areas," Naruto said and responded as Hinata began to protest at the appropriate times. Naruto noticed her downcast look and spoke again. "Don't worry Hinata-chan; you should get this in a snap. You already have incredible chakra control."

Hinata smiled timidly as she started to practice. Naruto slashed his leg as Hinata began to work. Hinata did the seals in the order that Naruto said and copied his movement. Hinata saw instant results as her hands glowed green and the wound started to heal. They stayed in the forest until nightfall as Hinata healed wound after wound. Naruto walked Hinata to the Hyuuga estate and he walked to his own house afterward. Hinata was absolutely cheerful that night as she went about her nightly routine. She really was the meaning of her name as she went too bed with a smile.

Naruto, on the other hand, was confused about his actions. Usually, he would never give away his techniques that easily. Today, however, he felt that he could trust Hinata and Kiba to keep a secret. Naruto suddenly thought of something and smiled. _"Maybe, just maybe, there will be a point in time that I won't need this mask in front of my friends." _

Naruto was satisfied in that thought as he went to sleep.

(A few days later)

Naruto was confused. He was really confused. He had no idea what was going on and he was also a little annoyed. Kakashi had said something pretty weird and Naruto didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

(Flashback, after the day's training)

Naruto was somewhat winded from the day's training. Naruto's team underwent chakra control exercises, sparring matches and teamwork drills all day without sufficient rest. Sakura was almost unconscious from the strain and Sasuke was wheezing and leaning on a tree as Kakashi spoke.

"Okay, everybody, I'll see you two days from now after the festival tomorrow. I hope you enjoy it because we are getting back to work the following day." Kakashi said as he puffed away in a pillar of smoke. Sakura and Sasuke left soon after to get ready for the festival. Naruto was left wallowing in a pit of confusion as he wondered what was going on. _"Festival, what festival are they talking about? I never heard about a festival." _Naruto started to walk home as he thought about what was special about tomorrow. _"Let's see, Thanksgiving is still a month away, Christmas is even further along, and the Hokage's birthdays are early in the year. What festival could they be talking about?"_

Naruto walked home in confusion as he asked himself, _"What festival are they talking about?"_ He went into a store to buy a few metal bands and started to walk off in the direction of his house.

(End flashback)

Naruto passed by his calendar and finally got a good look on what day it was tomorrow. Tomorrow was October the 10th.

"_Oh, great, it's my birthday. I hate my birthday. It just gives the villagers the right to get drunk and try and attack me. I can't believe this. I might as well stay home or stay in my clearing tomorrow. I mean, I know exactly what will happen tomorrow." _Naruto packed up all his prized and useful possessions and sealed them into his scrolls. He knew what would happen tomorrow and he was preparing for it. He then took a backpack and filled them with the sealed scrolls. He then left his house and headed towards his clearing.

As soon as he got there, he put down his items and lay on the ground. Naruto then looked up at the sky as he drifted off to sleep.

(The next day)

The morning was eerily quiet in Konoha. All of the villagers who were awake were wearing formal wear and traveling to memorials in the village. People on the streets were setting up various stands to sell items and souvenirs. The children were playacting as one child acted as the Kyuubi and other kids acted as the ninjas. One lucky kid in each of the plays was playing the part of the great Yondaime himself. Each one of the games portrayed the same story. The ninjas fight valiantly and the Kyuubi wreaks havoc. The Yondaime comes in later and kills the Kyuubi, saving the village from destruction. The people were preparing for the grand celebration that is about to take place; the defeat of the Kyuubi no Yoko.

During the day, most of the families in the village would go to memorials or graveyards to mourn for the people who died. For the ninja, no missions are given out unless it was a matter of national security. Since this was not the case today, almost everybody went out to mourn for their lost family members.

At night, the mood shifts completely. At night, people celebrate the defeat of the dreaded Kyuubi no Yoko. The streets are lined with shops and stands that are ready to sell you just about anything. The bars are stuffed to the brim with people who toast to the defeat of the Kyuubi. The streets are packed with happy people of all ages. The children run in on the roads, screaming in joy. Shinobi and civilian alike give loud cheers to the defeat of the Kyuubi.

Later on, there is one event that all people look forward to. The Hokage gives a speech praising all of the lives that were sacrificed to keep the village safe. Everyone listens as he retells the story of the defeat of Kyuubi. As he finishes, the people head downtown to witness what would described as a fire lover's dream. A great wooden statue about 50 feet high is brought into town square. A few selected shinobi then walk up to the statue on the four sides of the statue. Each one uses a high level fire technique to set the statue ablaze and the crowd roars in joy as the statue is burned to the ground. The celebration starts to wind down after that event, but everyone leaves town square, satisfied that the Kyuubi was "destroyed", if only for one night.

As it was mentioned earlier, almost everybody went to participate in the ceremonies. One of the most frequent exceptions is one Uzumaki Naruto. He always slept outside in his clearing the night before, considering what will eventually be done. He hears the cheers and screams of the night celebrations and he hears the soft sobbing of the villagers during the day. He is one of the few that never attends this ceremony. However, there is a reason for this.

The villagers never let him come within 50 feet of a graveyard, let alone a public memorial. The villagers always look at him on this day with glares that are several times worse than what he experiences on a daily basis. Instead of the glares saying, "Get out of my sight, you demon", they say, "Get lost, demon. You're the one who caused this. You don't deserve to be here."

There is also another reason, however. This one isn't as severe as the last, but it is still disheartening. He always sees this effect as soon as he gets back to his house.

(Later, after the day's ceremonies)

Naruto headed back to his home, dreading what he knew happened while he was gone. He used the rooftops to get to his home and used a genjutsu if he had to traverse on the streets. The people on the roads were only lingering around after the ceremonies. The people don't really care to notice because they are either too busy cleaning up the stands or too drunk to notice.

He dispelled his genjutsu as he walked through his doorway. The odd thing about it this time was the fact that the door wasn't closed and locked like he left it the night before. In fact, the door was embedded in the wall on the other side of the room. Naruto sighed as he surveyed the area.

"_Let's see, the table's broken again. My bed is junk, my closet is trashed, and my kitchen counter is broken to pieces. My bathroom door is next to the remains of my kitchen table and the sink and bathtub won't hold water anymore. The windowsill is seared along with the area surrounding the window and the window itself is a charred mess right next to the remains of my bed which has the front door in the wall on top of it. My storage area is trashed and anything that I couldn't bring with me last night is either broken or missing. Great, I need to fix all of this before tomorrow. Right now, it's about 11:30. Well, let's get started. At least they didn't wreck it as bad as they did last year. Happy Birthday to me," _Naruto thought as he swept and cleaned up what was left of his house. Naruto pulled out his money scroll and looked it over as he calculated what he needed to buy to fix everything. Naruto always did this. He always saved about a quarter of his pay from every mission to save up for what happens on October 10th. All of the places that sold furniture were closed until tomorrow so Naruto could only clean up and sleep on the floor, which was thankfully intact. Naruto finally finished around 4:00 in the morning and rolled out his sleeping bag and his makeshift alarm clock. Naruto then went into the sleeping bag and drifted into a deep sleep.

(Later)

About one and a half hours later, Naruto heard the noise that was his makeshift alarm clock going off. Naruto packed up his items and went out the door, making a mental note to buy more furniture under the Hokage's name.

He arrived at the usual meeting area to find that Sakura and Sasuke weren't there. He looked at his makeshift watch and saw that it was about 5:45. They weren't supposed to get here for another 15 minutes so he sat on the bridge and drifted back to sleep.

It was what seemed like a few minutes when he heard a loud voice and felt a painful spot on his head. Naruto groaned inwardly as he thought. _"Ugh, I don't have the energy to deal with you today. Buzz off, will you?" _

Naruto stood as he opened his eyes and started to act cheerful again.

"Hi, Sakura-chan, what's up?"

"Naruto, you needed to wake up! Kakashi-sensei is already here!"

"Huh? He is? Okay, I'll get up," Naruto said. _"Damn, I've been asleep for about 2 hours already unless pigs sprouted wings and Kakashi actually came on time," _Naruto thought.

Naruto groggily stood and Kakashi looked at him oddly. _"What did he do yesterday? He looks exhausted," _Kakashi thought.

Naruto spoke in a low whisper as he passed Kakashi. Kakashi only got more curious as his words registered in his head.

"Don't ask. I won't answer."

The day progressed smoothly even though Naruto was apparently exhausted. Naruto was able to get though everything he usually did and he was able to get and build his new items for his house. After building his bed, Naruto laid down upon it. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

(A month later)

Naruto and the rest of team 7 had just finished a relatively easy mission and the team was bickering as usual. Naruto had spent the last month training and developing techniques. Hinata and Naruto trained in the forest occasionally and Hinata practiced the healing technique she learned. Naruto was proud to say that Hinata had completely mastered the technique. Naruto had also developed a gravity seal that he placed on metal bands fastened to his wrists and ankles. This allowed Naruto to adjust the weight at any time and Naruto was happy about this since Naruto needed every cent he had for the essentials. Naruto also had another idea for a technique after he saw a leaf spinning in the air, caught between two contrasting winds. Now, they were walking back to give a mission report, Naruto limping without support as his teammates walked beside him.

"How could you hurt yourself with a pen? All we had to do was deliver a pen to a villager and you still manage to botch it up!" Sakura shouted as they walked back.

"Pens; plural; it was a three boxes of pens. Besides, I didn't see you carrying your box!" Naruto shouted back as he limped alongside his teammates.

"Of course you didn't! I was too tired to carry one of those boxes! Do you know how much we did today?"

"Yes, I do. I did them too. It doesn't mean you could throw your box at me!"

"You wanted to carry the box for me, Naruto!"

"That still doesn't mean you could throw it at me! Besides, I didn't see Sasuke saying anything about it."

"Don't drag me into this, dobe," Sasuke said.

"Shut up; you just don't want to admit that I'm stronger than you," Naruto said back.

"You're not; why aren't you?"

Naruto growled as Kakashi trailed behind them. Kakashi started to think as Naruto fumed and limped.

"_Teamwork seems to be lacking a bit. I wonder if they're ready."_

Kakashi started to speak as Team 7 turned to listen. "Hey, why don't we call it a day? I'll see you all tomorrow. I need to deliver this mission report."

The genin present nodded as Sakura and Sasuke jumped into the trees. Naruto started to walk off as he saw something behind him.

"_A square rock with a couple of eye holes; this is probably the worst thing he has ever come up with!"_

Naruto started to walk off again as he saw the rock following him in the corner of his eye. Naruto broke into a run and ran back and forth as the rock sprouted six legs and started running. Naruto then suddenly turned, making the rock stop in its tracks. Naruto then began to speak.

"Seriously, Konohamaru, what kind of rock has eye holes and perfectly straight angles? You have to do better than that," Naruto said as he sighed.

The rock puffed into a cloud of smoke revealing three children wearing goggles very similar to the ones he used to wear in the academy. Konohamaru was in the middle and he was flanked on both sides by two other children. One of them was a girl with orange hair who was dressed in a red shirt with beige pants. The other was a boy who was dressed in a blue jacket with beige shorts.

"Hey, Konohamaru, what's with the goggles?" Naruto asked in greeting.

"Nothing much; we're just copying the old you."

Naruto sighed as he answered. "I see. Listen, is there anything you need?"

At this point the girl stepped forward. "Naruto-nii-chan, are you busy? We want to play ninja with you."

Naruto smiled at the academy students as the two genin in the trees formed sweat-drops on the back of their heads while thinking, _"What kind of respectable ninja plays "ninja"?"_

The little children took the smile as an affirmative and started to run away. Naruto chased after them. He knew that "playing ninja" was really a game of tag. The three children ran around a corner as Naruto heard a loud thump and a groan afterward. As soon as Naruto rounded the corner, Naruto saw Konohamaru rubbing his head on the ground while a figure dressed in a full-black body suit stood in front of them with something tied to his back, wrapped in bandages. The figure began to speak as Konohamaru was lifted off the ground.

"That hurt, brat. Aren't you even going to apologize?"

Konohamaru only kicked the black figure's body as his grip tightened. Naruto started to speak.

"Put him down."

The black figure then faced Naruto. Naruto saw that his face was covered in war paint as he spoke in a cold tone. Naruto also noticed the headband.

"What are you going to do about it?" the figure asked.

"_They're from the sand, I take it. Hmm, what are they doing here?" _Naruto thought as he spoke again.

"I'll ask you one more time, put him down."

The figure only smiled and started to painfully pull Konohamaru's shirt. Naruto started to execute his plan when he saw that this was getting him nowhere. The other two kids were behind Naruto as Naruto fell into a battle position, extending his hand to protect the children. Naruto looked around to see something odd on the ground.

"_Chakra strings, huh? I guess I can't move in for close combat unless I take him by surprise."_

Naruto then created a clone and dashed forward, creating 5 clones in the process. The figure looked surprised as he used the chakra strings to ensnare them all. The figure tightened the chakra strings, making the clones puff out of existence. Naruto smirked and chuckled in his current position to the right of the figure. Naruto then punched the figure as he flew to a nearby fence and fell to the ground. Konohamaru was dropped to the ground right before his flight and he was currently behind Naruto. Naruto smirked as he pulled out a scroll. The figure stood as Naruto fell into position again. The boy then took the package off of his back as a voice filled the area.

"Kankuro, that's enough. Stop before you disgrace our village any further," the voice said as a swirl of sand materialized in between Naruto and the one called Kankuro. This person had a gourd on his back and his headband was tied around the strap that held the gourd in place. The kanji symbol for "love" was on his forehead. He started to speak as Kankuro acted as if the guy was the Grim Reaper.

"Who are you?" the person asked with a tone that could freeze water.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto. Who are you and what is your business in Konohagakure?"

"I am Sabaku no Gaara. This cretin behind me is Sabaku no Kankuro. I'm sure you've heard of the chuunin selection exam."

Naruto nodded as he turned to leave, taking the children with him.

Gaara started to think as Naruto left. _"He was good enough to fight Kankuro. He will be an excellent opponent." _

In the trees, Sakura and Sasuke stared in awe at the people that were there. Naruto was able to fight against Kankuro easily and he was able to keep a calm composure as Gaara appeared out of nowhere. They soon departed and followed Naruto throughout Konoha as he played "ninja" with the little children.

(Meanwhile)

"Now, as you know, the chuunin exams are being hosted in our village this time. I am now asking the sensei of the genin to announce whether or now the genin are ready for the exam. Now, I know that the genin that graduated last year are taking the exam, but I wish to address the sensei of the rookie genin. First, Hatake Kakashi, what do you say about your genin team?"

Kakashi stepped up to the Hokage and started to speak. "I, Hatake Kakashi, sensei of Team 7, on the honor of my clan, the Hatake, hereby nominate the genin team consisting of Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto to take the chuunin exams."

The Hokage nodded and faced the next sensei. Kurenai started to speak. "I, Yuuhi Kurenai, sensei of Team 8, on the honor of my clan, the Yuuhi, hereby nominate the genin team consisting of Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata, and Inuzuka Kiba to take the chuunin exams."

The Hokage nodded again as the next sensei stepped up. Asuma began to speak. "I, Sarutobi Asuma, sensei of Team 10, on the honor of my clan, the Sarutobi, hereby nominate the genin team consisting of Akimichi Chouji, Nara Shikamaru and Yamanaka Ino to take the chuunin exams."

At this point, Iruka started to address the people present. "With all due respect, Hokage-sama, I do not think the people are ready to take such a rigorous exam! I propose that we test the rookies to see whether or not they are ready. Is this acceptable, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage nodded in response before starting to speak again. "Since Iruka makes a good point, I say we hold a preliminary exam. Now, we need to…"

(The next day)

Naruto waited for his terminally late teacher along with the rest of Team 7. It was around 9:45 when Kakashi was supposed to meet them at 7:00. Sakura and Sasuke still looked at Naruto oddly as Naruto stood with an annoyed expression. Sakura and Sasuke thought about their teammate carefully. The one apparent thought in both of their minds was, _"Just how smart and how powerful are you, Naruto? Who are you?"_

As if Naruto was answering their mental questions, Naruto thought as he noticed his teammates' stares. _"I am much more than you think. If you wish to find out who I really am, gain my trust. Then, and only then, you will be able to see my true demeanor." _

At that point, Kakashi came. On instinct, Naruto and Sakura jumped forward and started to shout.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"I'm sorry, everybody. I got lost on the way here."

"Yeah, sure, Kakashi-sensei, let's just see what my spy has to say." Naruto said as another Naruto jumped from the trees behind Kakashi. Naruto spoke again. "So, Naruto, what was Kakashi-sensei doing?"

The clone started to speak as Kakashi's visible eye widened. "Well, he spent the time between 6:30 and 9:30 in a bookstore reading his perverted books."

The real Naruto turned to Kakashi with a, "What do you have to say for yourself," look as the clone vanished, its task complete. Kakashi's eye narrowed as Sakura began to yell at him. Kakashi simply ignored Sakura's rant as he pulled out 3 pieces of paper.

The three genin looked confused as they looked at the pieces of paper. Sakura was the first to speak as Naruto's face broke into a large smile.

"Kakashi-sensei, what are those papers for?" Sakura asked as Naruto's smile grew.

Kakashi's eye reverted to the shape of an upside-down "u" as he answered. "I have nominated you three to participate in the chuunin exams. Here are your applications. The choice to take the test is your individual choice. You are to meet at room 301 at 3:00 6 days from now for the first part of the test. You have some free time until then."

Naruto instantly cheered and started to run around as Sakura started to cheer. Sasuke smirks at the opportunity to show off his skills to the world.

Each one of them had their own individual thoughts.

"_I am going to go and kick the butts of everyone there, especially that idiot who messed with Konohamaru yesterday and Sasuke-teme here. There is one problem, though. If I take this exam, I will have to fight with all of my ability alongside my teammates. If I do that, what's stopping Sasuke-teme from using my techniques?"_

"_Maybe, I'll get to fight that guy from the sand, Sabaku no Gaara. This will be an excellent opportunity to fight powerful opponents."_

"_I'm not ready. I can't even keep up with Naruto. How will I ever survive the exam?"_

(Later)

"Oy, Naruto-nii-chan, do you want to play with us?"

Naruto turned at the familiar childish girl voice. He smiled as he saw the child trio that he ran into yesterday. Naruto started to speak to them.

"Hey, Moegi-chan, Udon-kun, Konohamaru; I have some free time today. The usual, I take it?"

The three children started to run as the game from the day before restarted. Before the children got 5 steps away, a mysterious ninja came and scooped up Moegi in his arms. Naruto and the others started to shout and follow him to the forest as Naruto formed a few Shadow Clones. As soon as Naruto got there, he saw the culprit in front of a tree where Moegi was tied. The figure began to speak as Naruto landed.

"That was pretty fast."

"Hey, what are you going to do to Moegi? Let go of her!"

The ninja pulled out a kunai and held it to Moegi's throat. "Just guess what I'll do to her."

Naruto acted terrified as he smirked inwardly. _"This is going perfectly. I just need to stall a little longer." _

The ninja began to speak again. "Get me to Forbidden Scroll of Seals or the kid bites the big one!"

Naruto immediately smirked as he spoke. "Do you think I care about that thing on the tree?"

The ninja turned around only to find a fist in his face. Moegi and the rest of Konohamaru's group ran away shortly after. Naruto walked up to the ninja and knelt in front of him.

"You can drop the disguise now, Iruka-sensei."

"So, you really have improved, Naruto."

"You know I was holding back, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do. If you weren't you would have blown me halfway to the Hokage's office by now using that wind technique of yours."

"So, why did you try and kidnap Moegi anyway?"

"You see, this is a test for the rookies that graduated last year. You do know that all 9 of you were nominated, right?"

"Awesome! All of us were nominated?"

"Yeah, you all were. If you excuse me, I have to test the others, now. See you later, Naruto."

Naruto waved in response as Iruka jumped and reset his genjutsu. He could see Iruka jumping away through the trees, looking for his next target.

(End Chapter)

Technique List:

Kousei no Jutsu: Resuscitation Technique; used by Naruto and Hinata. Naruto used this technique as a basis for Touboku Saisei.

(End Techniques)

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long. I was thinking about what to do during the chuunin exams and I know this chapter stinks. I promise to try to make the next one better. Please don't flame me.

(Posted June 30, 2006)


	14. Chapter 13: Courage

A/N: Hello again, I'm back with a (hopefully) better chapter than last time. I hope you like it!

**Megaolix: **Sorry, I didn't respond to your review last chapter. I am going to try and give the battles a little more detail. Thanks for the suggestion and sorry!

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **I know; it hurt just typing it up.

**Underdark Ranger: **OO Snake? Where did that come from? Oh well, I think a snake is a great idea! Just don't give the snake food that can bite back. Trust me; I know.

**Dragon Man 180: **I seem to have put Naruto into a very bad position here. On one hand, Naruto can reveal his true self and Sakura and Sasuke start to pester him about lying to them. On the other hand, Naruto can keep it a secret with much difficulty and have it all fall apart later in the exams. Then, Sakura and Sasuke will start to pester him about not helping them with these abilities in the past. Also, the technique did not just boost her confidence. I have plans for that specific technique…

**VFSNAKE: **Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you see it, Naruto likes the village too much to destroy it. Also, about Kakashi, yes, he's lazy.

**Orbrey: **You see, I made Naruto's perception of friends similar to mine, I hold friends in very high regard, but it is not easy to become my friend because I don't really trust anyone but my friends and family. I also like playing with little children so that little aspect may have leaked in. Also, the question isn't, "Who will he reveal himself to first?" It's, "To whom will he reveal his identity willfully and completely?"

**Silver Warrior: **That he will; my friend, that he will.

**Japanese of Red Dog: **Thanks for your input.

**Hanlim80: **I'm glad you like it. Stick around for what I write next. I don't even know.

**Nania: **Is it? Are you sure? I didn't think I did a good job on that chapter.

**NarutoNineTails: **This is only the beginning. The chuunin exams should be more exciting.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **Okay, I'll try. I don't know how my thought processes will react when it's put on demand, but I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the offer. Also, I appreciate you reviews but remember; I am not trying to upstage you. I'm just letting you know.

**Anime-Boy07: **I'm glad you stopped attacking my friends. I'm glad you like the chapter. I'm using the whole, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" approach, but I'm running out of cute friends.

**Locker87: **Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate the little comment about the summer, but I will probably be in my room most of the time, trying to finish my summer homework. Summer Homework sucks! I hate it! I'm glad you like the story, though. I agree about the, "this should have been the real thing" kind of compliment, but I also agree with you when you say that the fact that it doesn't makes it better. In fact, if this was how they put it, I wouldn't have the fun of writing this, would I?

**Conan98002: **Thank you for the review. I'm glad you think so.

Disclaimer: (look below for disclaimer/conversation)

: Yay, go Tommy, go! Faster, run faster!

**OG: **Hey, can I get some help with the disclaimer, please? You and Tommy are the only ones around since everyone else wanted a vacation.

Mary: Wheeee! (Hangs on for dear life on Tommy's fur as he runs around)

**OG: **Whatever, I don't own Naruto. If you excuse me, I want to ride on Tommy, too! Wait up Mary!

Enjoy the 14th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

(Chapter Begins)

Naruto arrived at the academy proud and cheerful. This is his chance to show everyone what he was made of! The problem was the fact that he would probably have to fight against his friends or reveal his true strength to his teammates. If that happened, Naruto would be placed in a horrible position, especially with an Uchiha in the group.

Naruto sighed outwardly as he reached the outside of the academy building. Naruto looked around to see nobody within 30 feet of the front door. _"Great, I'm early. That means I can get a good look at the competition as they walk in. Also, I can work on perfecting that technique of mine," _Naruto thought as he performed a few four seals, Ushi, Saru, Tatsu, and Hitsuji.

Naruto was suddenly in the center of a large tornado-like wind. There were blades of wind coming out of random areas on the outside while Naruto sat calmly on the inside, frowning.

_"It's not quite there, yet. There are still a few blades that are sticking out and that wastes chakra. I need to spin the chakra faster while controlling the chakra output." _

The tornado calmed down as the first of the candidates arrived for the chuunin exam. Naruto still sat outside as he continued to think. He pulled out the notes scroll he used to make the technique.

_"I need to master this technique before I am able to use it. If I don't do it right and something hits the outside of it, the technique may backfire, leaving me with a fatal injury, depending on how unstable it was. Now, the leaf was spinning because of two contrasting winds going in opposite directions. I needed to force the two winds together to create the small vortex and then spin the vortex to get the desired effect. Okay, now to review. The seals generate the chakra for the wind blades inside the technique and they charge the wind with my chakra, allowing me to control it. I need to spin the chakra to create the tornado and continue to control it to make it retain its shape. Now, what am I doing wrong? I know that I need to control it while it's spinning, but I need to focus in order to do it! This will never work in a battle situation unless I completely master it!" _

At that point, Naruto saw his teammates looking down, trying to sneak a glance at the scroll. Naruto immediately got annoyed and shut the scroll quickly. He looked at them oddly as he stood up.

Retaining his cheerful mask by a thread, Naruto spoke. "Hey guys, should we go in now?"

The other two nodded while eyeing Naruto suspiciously. Naruto fumed inside his mind as he noticed something strange.

_"I've been through this hall and I've been up these stairs over a thousand times. Something is off here," _Naruto thought as he began to look around suspiciously. Naruto noticed something as he stepped up on the stairs.

_"I've been up here a million times and this step always squeaked under any pressure. This is not the right staircase," _Naruto thought as he looked to his teammates. Naruto proudly noted that they looked suspicious as well and it wasn't because of him. As they walked up to what appeared to be the third floor, they came just in time to see a person dressed in a green spandex jumpsuit being forced to the ground. As soon as a girl in a pink shirt blocked the way between the bully and the green kid, she was also knocked down. Team 7 walked forward and heard the conversation after the two got up.

"Listen, were doing you a favor. The chuunin exams are tough and some of you might not make it out alive. Quit whole you still can. The weak won't live until the finals."

"True," Sasuke said as he walked forward, "but, I'm not exactly weak. You can drop the genjutsu, now."

A burst of whispers came out from the crowd which was mostly remarks saying that they didn't know that there was a genjutsu in place.

"Sakura," Sasuke continued, "you probably caught on first, didn't you? Your perception of genjutsu is the most refined in our group."

Sakura immediately smiled and nodded while speaking. "Of course, Sasuke-kun, this mealy genjutsu won't fool me. I bet even Naruto here figured it out. We're on the second floor, even if the genjutsu on the stairs gave us the idea that we were on the third."

Naruto smiled as he played along. "It's nice that you noticed, Sakura-chan. There are so many flaws that you can't help but notice that it's a genjutsu."

The bully in front of the door smiled as the sign on the door changed from 301 to 201. The bully then began to speak.

"Well, you've passed the first test. Let's see if you can pass the second," he said as he charged towards Sasuke with a mid level kick. Sasuke tried to counter with a kick of his own as everybody saw a green flicker between them. Suddenly, the green person that was thrown to the ground before stood in between the kicks and held them in place. The two people fighting were startled by the speed and stood down. The girl in the pink shirt walked up to the green boy and started to speak.

"Lee, you were the one that said that we shouldn't make ourselves noticeable."

"But…," Lee said as he looked at Sakura.

"Oh, great," the girl said as Lee started to speak to Sakura.

"My name is Rock Lee; so, your name is Sakura, correct!"

Sakura only looked confused as Lee continued. "Will you go out with me! I shall protect you with my life!"

Sakura looked offended as she spoke in response. "Not in your life; you're lame."

Lee, at this point, looked downtrodden as he started to lean on the wall in embarrassment. Naruto looked over and saw the boy looking dejected. He immediately went over and asked a simple question.

"Hey, Lee, are you okay? That is your name, right?"

Lee looked up to see Naruto's face. Naruto mentally cringed as he finally got a good look at him. He had MASSIVE EYEBROWS and his smile could BLIND PEOPLE! The boy looked up and began to speak as cheerfully as he did with Sakura.

"Hello, yes, my name is Rock Lee! What is your name!"

Naruto had to suppress his urge to twitch and cringe at his voice. Along with his clothes and teeth, he was a nightmare to the eyes and ears! He wrenched out a response as he mentally squashed his urge to run away screaming.

"My name is… Uzumaki Naruto. It's nice… to meet you."

"It is an honor to meet you, also, Naruto-kun! I presume you are here for the chuunin exams, am I correct!"

Naruto's left eye twitched slightly as he answered.

"Yes, I am here to take the exam."

Sakura chose this moment to drag Sasuke and Naruto to the room. Naruto was greatly relieved as Sasuke started to tell Sakura to let go of him.

Meanwhile, with Lee and the others, a conversation took place.

"He's Sasuke from the Uchiha clan, huh?" a boy with long hair asked himself as they watched the retreating forms of Team 7.

"Are you interested in him Neji?" the girl asked.

Lee started to leave at this point. The girl noticed and asked him about it.

"Where are you going, Lee?"

"Don't worry! I will be back soon! I need to take care of something!" Lee said as he left.

(Outside room 301)

As they walked towards the door, Team 7 was interrupted by a loud and familiar voice.

"Hey, you with the dark eyes, stop!"

Everyone turned as a green figure jumped from the upper railing. He landed about 20 feet in front of Team 7 as Sakura had a horrified facial expression. Naruto just attempted to suppress a snicker and a twitch at the same time.

"My name is Rock Lee," he began to speak as Sakura held her expression, "If you want to know someone's name, you must introduce yourself first. Am I right, Uchiha Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke only replied with a smirk and a small statement. "So, you know about me?"

Lee then sank into a battle position. "I wish to fight you, now. Do you accept? I wish to test my abilities against a genius like you."

Lee then turned to Sakura. "Also, I wish to prove myself to Sakura-san, for I am in love with her!"

Sakura then started to scream. "No, those eyebrows are disgusting, that hairstyle is horrible, and the lower eyelashes are just too weird!

Lee started to wink, sending a barrage of little heart-shaped projectiles towards her. Sakura dodged them efficiently, the last one almost hitting her as he ducked and bashed her head on the floor.

As Sakura recovered, she started to scream at Lee. "Don't throw stupid, weird things at me! I barely escaped with my life!"

Sasuke interrupted Sakura's rant with a simple phrase.

"I'll fight you."

Everybody in the immediate area turned to Sasuke as he repeated himself.

"I'll fight you, Lee. I want to test my abilities as well."

Sakura started to protest as Sasuke interrupted her. "Don't worry Sakura; this will only take a few minutes."

Lee smirked as Sasuke charged forward. As Sasuke tried to hit Lee, Lee vanished. Lee appeared behind Sasuke and attempted to hit him with a violent kick. Sasuke dodged it easily as Lee landed and tried to hit Sasuke with a mid-level kick. Sasuke saw Lee form a half-seal as he brought his arms up to block.

_"I can't dodge this one; I have to block it, but what was he doing with his hands?" _

Sasuke's thoughts were interrupted as a foot met Sasuke's face. He went flying as Lee stood and regained his position. Sasuke rubbed his face and got up while thinking.

_"Was that ninjutsu or genjutsu? I knew I blocked that one, why did it still hit?" _

Sasuke started to laugh as he lowered his head. He started to speak in a low tone as the others present listened in.

"Hmm, it seems I will have to test this new ability out on you. This is going to be a challenge."

As Sasuke lifted his head up, Lee smirked as Sakura stared in awe. Naruto only stood and thought as if he was reprimanding Sasuke.

_"You idiot, all of his moves are just super-fast taijutsu moves. You are screwed here because you can't keep up with big brows' techniques." _

Meanwhile, Sakura was thinking about Sasuke's newfound ability with awe. _"Sasuke-kun has the Sharingan! How does he have it and why does he have it in both eyes?" _

Sasuke looked closely as he charged towards Lee. As he charged, he was fairly confident as he thought to himself. _"If it's genjutsu or ninjutsu, I'll see through it. There must be some kind of magic at work here." _

Sasuke's thoughts and Sakura's mental praising of Sasuke were both interrupted as Sasuke was hit violently upward on the chin. Naruto smirked as Sasuke landed hard on the floor. Lee then spoke as the two combatants exchanged blows.

"I'm sure you've figured it out by now. My moves are all taijutsu techniques. Since you have the Sharingan, you are able to read ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu moves. Since genjutsu and ninjutsu are both made by molding chakra, you have an advantage since you can see how the chakra flows inside the body. Taijutsu, however, is a little different. Even if you can see my movements, your body is still untrained to keep up with my speed, therefore, speed is your greatest enemy!"

Naruto stared with wide eyes as Lee landed on the ground and vanished. He reappeared underneath Sasuke's flying body as Naruto started to think.

_"Whoa, that technique is really powerful! It just sent Sasuke-teme flying! If that is what taijutsu really is, I don't stand a chance when it comes to a taijutsu-only fight!" _

Sasuke started to worry as Lee started to speak underneath him. This was Kagebuyo! "There are two categories in the world of great shinobi. There is the genius type and the hard-working type. Your Uchiha blood makes you the genius type, while I am the hard-working type. I will prove that genius can be defeated by hard work with this technique!"

Lee then flexed his hands, allowing the bandages around them to unravel. The bandages fluttered in the wind as Lee prepared to use his technique. Naruto watched in awe as he calculated how much damage he could do with that technique. Lee spoke again as he was about to use his technique.

"It's over; I win."

Suddenly, a pinwheel flies through the air. Lee spots it as his eyes widen. The pinwheel pins the bandage that was unraveled from Lee's hands to the wall as Lee smoothly aborts the technique and lands softly. Sasuke, however, wasn't as lucky as Sakura dove to save him from a rough fall. Naruto looked around as a voice filled the area.

"Lee, that's enough!"

Lee walked over to the source of the voice as Naruto looked in confusion.

"Is that a turtle?" Naruto asked himself.

Naruto then heard the conversation between Lee and the turtle.

"Lee, you know that move is forbidden!"

"So, you were watching our fight."

"Are you prepared for your punishment!"

Naruto held his look of confusion as he thought. _"He's being scolded… by a turtle." _

Lee only looked dejected as the turtle continued.

"Very well; it's all yours, Gai!"

A column of smoke appeared on the turtle's shell as Naruto's confusion rose to new heights. As the smoke cleared, Naruto couldn't help but cringe at the sight before him. The man on the turtle's shell was none other than… a larger version of Lee with bigger brows and a jounin vest. By this time, Sakura and Sasuke had stood up and they were facing the turtle along with Naruto. Naruto looked to his teammates to see that they wore a similar expression. The figure started to yell.

"I am the incarnation of youth! I am Maito Gai!"

"AHH, it's a lamer person than Lee! The eyebrows and goofy hairstyle are even bigger and he looks even worse!"

Lee turned around at that point and started to yell back.

"Don't make fun of Gai-sensei! He's the best there is!"

"Lee…" Gai said. Lee just turned to be met by a large punch from his larger clone. The three genin present looked appalled as they saw a backdrop fall, revealing a sunset on a beach. Lee and Gai hugged underneath the sunset as a wave washed up to shore. Sasuke started to think as Lee and Gai calmed down.

_"I lost to this freak?" _

Lee and Gai were ignoring their looks and continued to speak with Gai telling Lee to run 100 laps as a punishment. The turtle then stepped in as he spoke.

"Hey, Gai, the chuunin exams are today. Don't you remember?"

Gai moved as if he had just remembered and spoke to Lee again. "You will do your punishment after the chuunin exams, 500 laps!"

"Yes, sir!" Lee shouted in response as Gai finally took a look at Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke.

The genin in question cringed as they realized his gaze. Gai began to speak. "So, how's Kakashi-sensei?"

Sasuke was the first to recover and answer. "Do you know Kakashi-sensei?"

Gai smiled and brought his hand to his chin while speaking. "You can say we're…eternal rivals!"

Team 7 looked incredulous as Sakura and Naruto shouted a unified "No way!" This sent Lee into a rage.

"Gai-sensei is Kakashi-sensei's rival! Don't make fun of him!"

"Now, now," Gai interrupted. "Actions are much better than words."

The tree genin present saw Gai vanish, only to hear something from behind.

"The score stands at 50 to 49 with me in the lead. I am stronger than Kakashi."

Team 7 thought about the same thing. _"He's really fast! I didn't even see him move!" _

"You should get to the classroom, now. Good Luck, Lee!"

With that, he threw a kunai to dislodge the windmill and both Gai and the turtle vanished. Naruto looked at Lee, who was wrapping his bandages around his hands. He spoke before leaving towards the classroom.

"Remember, Sasuke-kun, the strongest genin in Konoha is on my team. You are one of my targets."

As he left, Sasuke clenched his fist. Naruto spoke as Sakura caught his attention.

"So, the Uchiha clan isn't all that great, isn't it?"

Sakura started to reprimand him as Sasuke spoke.

"Shut up; I'll beat him next time."

"Really, even if you had your butt handed to you this time?"

Sasuke got annoyed by this as Naruto spoke again.

"You saw his hands right? They were scratched and burnt like he was training day in and day out. He definitely trains more than you."

Sasuke released his fist and clenched it again. Instead of the scowl on his face before, there was a smirk. Sasuke spoke his mind as he caught their attention.

"Well, this is getting exciting. These chuunin exams are going to be good. Let's go; Sakura, Naruto!"

They opened the door to the room to 301 to face their opposition.

(Room 301)

Team 7 walked in only to see an incredible sight. Every seat in the large room was filled and some people were standing on the sides! True, there was a few people taking up more than one seat, but they all looked threatening. Sakura looked nervous and Sasuke and Naruto looked on in determination.

Suddenly, however, Sasuke felt an unwelcome weight on his shoulders as he saw a blonde-haired girl hanging off of him. Ino started to speak and mock Sakura at the same time.

"Hello, Sasuke-kun; why don't you get away from Big Forehead over there and come hang out with me?"

Sakura instantly got angry from this and started to yell. Naruto, hearing this constantly at the academy, moved over to the other two members of Ino's team.

"Hey, Shikamaru, Chouji; how is everything going?"

"Hey, Naruto," Shikamaru said plainly, "are you taking this troublesome test too?"

Chouji only acknowledged Naruto's presence before returning to his chips. Naruto nodded to Shikamaru in response as he saw Team 8 walking towards them. Kiba started to speak, getting the attention of all of the rookies.

"So, you all are here, too? That means that the Rookie 9 is taking the chuunin exam together this year. No matter what you say; you're not going to beat us!"

Naruto smirked as he responded to Kiba's arrogance. "Shut up Kiba, I won't lose to any of you, either. Be prepared if you have to fight me."

Kiba looked away for a second as Naruto walked up to Hinata. Hinata started to blush as Naruto began to speak.

"Hi, Hinata-chan; I haven't seen you for a while now. How are you doing?"

"I-I'm f-fine N-Naruto-kun. How are you?" Hinata asked.

"I'm okay. It seems we'll be taking the exams together, huh?" Naruto said.

"Yes, N-Naruto-kun, we are. I-I h-hope you d-do well."

"Thanks Hinata-chan; I hope you do well on yours as well," Naruto said while smiling.

After that last statement, Hinata smiled softly. Naruto stared at Hinata's features for a bit before both of them suddenly turned and blushed.

_"I shouldn't think like that about Hinata-chan," _Naruto thought.

_"Naruto-kun was speaking to me! This is so embarrassing," _Hinata thought.

At this point, somebody spoke.

"Hey, you guys; you should keep it down if you know what's good for you."

A boy with silver hair and glasses walked up to the rookies. Naruto had a bad feeling about this person so he kept his guard up.

"My name is Yakushi Kabuto. You guys are the rookies, right?"

The people all gave signals to the affirmative as Kabuto continued.

"I'm only saying that you should keep it down. Look around."

The rookies looked around to see everybody glaring at them. Each one of them was giving off a small amount of killing intent and it frightened some of them. Kabuto spoke again.

"This isn't a field trip. You should take this seriously."

Sakura spoke up after Kabuto finished. "Kabuto-san, was it? Thanks for the warning. This is your second time, I take it?"

"No, it's my 7th. The chuunin exams take place twice a year and this is my fourth year."

Naruto was really suspicious towards Kabuto because the chuunin exams couldn't be that difficult. Naruto grew even more suspicious when Kabuto took out a deck of cards.

"Now, I've collected some information over the years that just might help you cute rookies. These cards only work with the use of my chakra. They store the information that I've collected over the years."

Kabuto caught Sasuke's gaze as Sasuke asked a question.

"Can we get information on the participants?"

"They may not be complete, but I will give it a try. Tell me about who you want to know."

"I want to know about Rock Lee from Konoha and Sabaku no Garra from Suna. I also wish to know about Uzumaki Naruto, also from Konoha," Sasuke said. Naruto opened his eyes wide and glared daggers towards the Uchiha survivor. Sakura perked up at this statement and leaned in closer.

Kabuto ignored the glare that Naruto was giving to Sasuke and spoke. "So, you know their names? That makes things easy for me. Let's see."

Kabuto swiped his hand over the deck of cards and drew three cards. Naruto concentrated on the location in which Kabuto was placing the cards as he listened to the information.

"First, Rock Lee from Konoha; he is an expert on Taijutsu and Ninja tools, but everything else is unimpressive. His sensei is Maito Gai and his teammates are Higarashi Tenten and Hyuuga Neji. He has completed 20 D-class missions and 11 C-class missions."

Naruto made a mental note to check up on Hyuuga Neji since Hinata had the same surname as Kabuto continued.

"Next, Sabaku no Gaara from Suna; he is not well known since he is a foreigner, but he has completed 8 C-class and surprisingly a B-class mission without a scratch on any mission. His teammates are Kankuro and Temari, his siblings."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he prepared himself as Kabuto continued.

"Lastly, Uzumaki Naruto from Konoha, he is…" Naruto interrupted his reading by placing his palm over the card. The people that could see what Naruto was doing were surprised as Naruto pumped chakra into the card, erasing the data. Naruto then used his chakra to create a single blade of air and cut the card into shreds. Naruto then turned to Sasuke with eyes that basically radiated fury.

"You are not going to get information on me behind my back. If you want to know about me, you must ask me personally. My response will depend on whether or not I trust you and by your actions; I will say that you are not going to get any information out of me for a long time. Do not let me catch you doing that again or I will **destroy** you! **DO YOU UNDERSTAND!**" Naruto said angrily, yelling at the end, getting the attention of all of the genin in the room. Sasuke actually flinched at Naruto's outburst and cold voice and all of the rookies were cringing at the change in the blonde boy.

All of the rookies were appalled by this, especially Sasuke. Sasuke and Sakura saw this as an opportunity to get a reading on Naruto's strength. However, all they managed to do was get Naruto angry.

Hinata was worried. She never saw Naruto like this. He was always a kind and cheerful soul around his friends. Now, however, she saw another side of Naruto. This side threatened to obliterate all who try to intrude in his business forcefully. She wondered what he was trying to hide from the people in this room. There are some things that even she, his friend, didn't know and he is determined to keep it a secret. _"Naruto-kun, what did you prevent us from seeing? What are you protecting?" _

At that moment, Naruto saw a large puff of smoke at the front of the classroom followed by a loud, booming voice.

"Settle down! I won't take any shit from anyone so sit down and be quiet!"

The people present immediately knew that they didn't want to mess with this guy. There was something about him that just screamed, "If you mess with me, you will regret it."

"Good; now, submit your applications at that table to pick up a seat number and your test. Sit at the seat which matches your number and wait for further instructions."

The genin did as they were instructed and they all managed to fit at the tables in the room, despite the large number of people. Naruto looked over the test paper and thought as he sat. _"Okay, this is a paper exam? I thought that this exam would be more dangerous. I could answer some of these, but not a lot of them. Let's see what I'm up against." _

Naruto looked around the room to check his surroundings. He looked to his left to see a proctor at the end of the long tables. He looked to the right and saw the same thing. The thing he noticed the most was the fact that he also saw a head drooped down on the table with blue hair. He made his presence known to one of his closest friends.

"Hi, Hinata-chan; I hope you do well on the test."

The person in question suddenly whipped her head up and looked at Naruto. She then stuttered a "Thank you Naruto-kun" and turned away blushing. Naruto was just confused.

_"I didn't offend her, did I? She looks like she has a fever or something. I hope she's okay." _

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by the booming voice of the head proctor.

"Now that everyone is ready, we may begin. My name is Morino Ibiki and I will not tolerate any bullshit out of any of you. If you try to test me, I will have you disposed of. This test is a written test, as you have probably noticed. The grading system will be explained shortly," Ibiki said as he turned to face the board. He began to speak again as he wrote the summarized version on the board.

"This test's grading system is based on a basis of penalization. You all start off with ten points and each question that you get wrong will result in a subtraction of a point. Those who have no points are automatically disqualified. However, there is a catch."

The people in the room were slightly confused by the grading system. There was something behind it. The genin waited patiently as Ibiki continued.

"The catch is," Ibiki continued, "that cheating in any way shape or form will result in the automatic subtraction of two points from your score. That means that there is a chance that you will be disqualified before your test is graded. If you want to be chuunin you must act like shinobi! Those who cheat unwisely will be punished! Also, one more thing, if one member of a team fails, the other two members automatically fail as well."

Naruto could feel Sakura and Sasuke's glares on him as he took a quick glance at the paper. Naruto smirked as he saw a few questions he could answer. Maybe, he could keep his points and not worry about anything else.

Ibiki gave the hour time limit and started the test. Naruto immediately went through the test before answering any questions.

_"Question 1; determine the possible trajectory of a kunai from the top of a 29 foot tree and determine the force needed to reach a target at point X approximately 20 feet away from the base of the tree with wind speed and resistance variations. Wow, that's tough. This question is definitely something not many people can answer. Even Sakura, the smartest rookie in our class, would have difficulty answering this. Let's see the next one." _

Naruto then felt a variety of chakra surges throughout the room as he noticed a few people doing various things. He snuck a peek to his right to see Hinata's veins bulge near her eyes. He noticed the distinct signature of Sasuke's Sharingan. He saw a small cloud of sand traverse across the room and he noted a few other familiar chakra signatures. Naruto ignored them since he knew nobody would think to look at him.

Naruto looked down to the next question. Naruto smirked as he realized that he could answer this question. _"Hmm, this one is easy. Question 2; determine the effect of the monkey seal in the seal order of Kuchiyose no Jutsu and describe the effects of the technique without the seal. That's simple. The monkey seal provides an amount of chakra to control the transportation of the summoned object or being. Without it, the technique, might fail or be ineffective due to a lack of chakra." _

Naruto moved on as he looked the next question. _"Question 3; what is the effect of a blood seal to a person who tries to open it, assuming that the seal is an infusion seal? Oh, man; if I didn't have a slight experience in this area to seal up a few of my valuable scrolls, I would have no idea what this was! An infusion seal would release a set stored amount of chakra upon the intruder. The chakra would seep through the seal as a blasting force and it would give the intruder a nasty explosion as a gift. The chakra could also sometimes be molded into a technique by the sealer and placed upon the seal as a defense mechanism." _

Naruto paused for a bit as he felt his brain being yanked out by his ears. Naruto recovered quickly and continued through the other questions. Naruto was able to definitely answer 2 more questions and unsurely answer 1 other question. Naruto also figured out the true purpose in the middle of the test.

_"They **want **us to cheat! Now, how do I do this? I can't use a bloodline like Hinata-chan and Sasuke-teme so that is definitely out. I can't answer all of the questions myself so I have to look carefully." _Naruto looked up to see a series of mirrors above him. A picture of Shino's paper was clear as he looked upward. Naruto also looked at another mirror that was across from it. This one had a reflection of Shino's paper along with a reflection of the clock. Naruto looked closely at the clock to get the answers from Shino's paper and left it at that since Naruto knew that Shino was using his bugs for information. He smirked after getting the answers from the clock and calmed down considerably.

Naruto was confident, but he didn't want people to cheat on him so he placed a genjutsu on his paper. Naruto listened to his surroundings carefully as many people were disqualified and asked to leave. Naruto then mentally sighed as he made one last thought.

_"Well, if I'm going to play dumb, now's the time to do it. This last question still worries me, though." _

As soon as Naruto finished he picked up his test paper and started to look nervous.

(Meanwhile)

Hinata looked onto the paper in front of her and to her left. The paper was complete and the answers made perfect sense. Hinata checked the answers before writing them down. She didn't feel right since she knew she was cheating, but she saw it as a necessary evil to pass the exams. She deactivated her bloodline to see Naruto looking extremely distressed. His expression obviously said, "What do I do?" repeatedly so Hinata decided to give her long time crush a hand in the matter.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered softly, "you can copy off of me if you wish."

Naruto noticed Hinata's attempt at a friendly gesture and responded after a brief silence.

"Thank you Hinata-chan, but I must decline. I don't want you to get in trouble if I cheat off of you. I appreciate your concern, however. I don't need to cheat." Naruto whispered to Hinata with a bright yet hidden smile.

Hinata looked in shock as Naruto whispered one more thing.

"Use your Byakugan, Hinata-chan."

Hinata took his word and activated her bloodline. She saw all of the proctors around them, but Naruto's paper was astounding.

Every answer was there, correct and detailed. A few of them were extremely specific. The last thing on the paper made Hinata giggle softly.

_"I hope Ibiki-san doesn't get too mad," _Hinata thought.

Hinata looked up at Naruto and deactivated the Byakugan. Naruto looked as nervous as he was before she spoke, but she knew Naruto was faking it, regardless of how authentic it was.

Naruto and Hinata sat up as Ibiki started to speak again.

"Listen up; you all have probably noticed the last question. Before I ask it, however, there are new rules for the last question. You may choose whether or not to take this question"

All of the genin present held looks of confusion as he continued.

"Now, the last question is different from the others. If you do not answer this question correctly, you automatically fail, regardless of how many of the questions you answered correctly."

Looks of shock are spread throughout the room.

"Also, if you fail the last question, you will be barred from taking the Chuunin Selection Exams again. So, if you wish to leave and decline the last question, you may leave now. Be aware that your team will go down with you."

A suspenseful silence rose as many of the genin present stood and walked out of the room, taking their teams with them. Naruto was slightly pressed by the atmosphere, but he stood firm. Naruto was slightly surprised as Sakura shakily raised her hand, but left it alone until the last minute. At that point, Naruto raised his hand and put his mask to good use.

Naruto slammed his hand down on the table, shattering the atmosphere. Naruto began to yell as the confidence of many people was restored.

"Screw you; I won't run away from anything! Even if I'm stuck as a genin forever, I'll become Hokage anyway! So bring it on! I'll take anything you can throw! I am not afraid of you!"

Ibiki started to look around for any sign of doubt. _"Damn, that kid washed away the atmosphere I created. There is probably nobody else that's leaving, even if I stand here for another hour. I might as well get on with it." _

"Now, for the people that are still here… concerning the first test… I congratulate you for passing!"

Confused glances were exchanged here. Finally, Sakura spoke up with a loud, demanding voice.

"What do you mean we pass! What's the tenth question!"

Ibiki smiled. "You can say that the decision to stay or leave was the last question. The other nine questions were there to test your information gathering skills. You had to cheat in order to pass. As for targets, there were 3 chuunins in the room with the correct answers."

Naruto smiled since he didn't have to reprimand himself for cheating. He looked back at Sakura and Sasuke to see them with confused looks, not towards Ibiki's words, but towards Naruto's reaction.

"Those who cheated poorly were eliminated and the team suffered. Sometimes, information is more valuable than life itself. People risk their lives on missions and information can be the difference between life and death. People will do anything to acquire it."

Sakura spoke up again, asking the question that nudged at everybody's heads.

"But, what is the purpose of the tenth question?"

Ibiki smiled as he spoke again.

"The 10th question is the true purpose of the test. If you are given a mission with uncertain details, can you refuse the mission to protect the lives of you and your comrades?"

The genin sat intently and listened carefully to Ibiki's words.

"The answer…is no! There are some missions that you cannot decline, no matter the danger. You must have courage and stand up in the face of uncertainty and fear to succeed! You must face any hardship to assure the success of the mission. That is the way a chuunin captain should act. Those of you who are still here answered the tenth question perfectly. You stood up when I gave you a difficult question and you held your ground as I bombarded you with doubts. Those who say, "I'll try next year," do not deserve the title of chuunin! You who are present will be able to face hardships on your missions. The first test…is over. I wish you all good luck as you progress forward."

Naruto began to cheer as Ibiki finished. Ibiki smirked at the scene and looked at Naruto with a slight smile.

"Interesting kid; he grew up well," Ibiki said softly as a black object burst through the window.

All of the students went wide eyed as the black window breaker fluttered open and threw two kunai into the ceiling, pinning the black object, which is really a cloth, to the ceiling of the classroom. The figure started speaking in a demanding voice.

"I am Mitarashi Anko! I am your second examiner for the chuunin exams! Everyone follow me!"

People stared wide-eyed at the sight before him. Naruto started to think in his shocked state.

_"This person sounds just like me when I put up the mask. This is creepy." _

Ibiki emerged from behind the black cloth and started to glare at Anko. Ibiki spoke as Anko turned. "You had some really bad timing there, Anko."

Anko looked at Ibiki then looked at the people in the room. She then spoke as she turned back to Ibiki.

"You left 26 teams, Ibiki? The test wasn't that hard, was it?"

Ibiki smirked and spoke back. "Well, there seems to be a good bunch this year, Anko."

Anko smiled mischievously while speaking loudly so everyone could hear.

"Well, it doesn't matter; I'm going to cut them down to at least half."

Naruto raised his eyebrows and thought about the crazy lady's words.

_"There is going to be a failure probability of at least 50?" _Naruto thought as he smirked afterward. _"That isn't all that bad. The failure rate for the genin exam with Kakashi was 66.6. We faced worst odds than that, especially me." _

Naruto was ripped from his thoughts as Anko began to yell again.

"Okay everybody; meet me tomorrow for your next exam! You sensei should have this information so ask him or her for the place and time! You are dismissed!"

Naruto left quickly, unable to stand anymore of Anko's craziness.

(Later)

Ibiki stayed behind to collect the tests. He also stayed behind to yell at Anko for breaking his window in what was supposed to be the middle of the test. If she had come 1 minute earlier, she would have wrecked everything and he would really have grade these papers to see who passed. Now, Ibiki could grade them at his own pace and trudge to the Hokage's office, as long as they are there by the end of the month. Ibiki smirked as he walked by the table of the one who made everyone gain their confidence during the real test. He picked up the paper and almost dropped the others in his hand.

"He didn't answer a single question? Wait, there a trace of chakra here."

Ibiki cancelled the genjutsu and looked at the paper. Ibiki regained his composure as he smirked at the answers. Every one was correct.

_"This kid really is interesting." _

Ibiki was ripped from his thoughts as a spray of ink met his face. Ibiki's face was truly black, but the tests were all fine. After Ibiki recovered, he thought one thing.

_"That kid better hope I don't meet with him again." _

Meanwhile, across town, a blonde boy in the forest sneezed.

(End chapter)

A/N: Just so you know, the statement that Naruto said to Sasuke was my own words; it was a response to this one jerk who thought he could wrench information from my best friend. I must say, that is the best threat that I've said to a person and I'm proud of it. I'm not so proud of the way Naruto cheated on this exam. Sure, it was possible, but Naruto had to write pretty quickly and he would have to be able to read small characters on the clock 50 feet away from him. Unless you have 20/1 vision or you're a ninja, this is not going to happen. I hope you liked the chapter. The next one will be more interesting, I hope.

Revision Notice: Thank you **Kitsu Maharu **and **Tellemicus Sundance** for pointing out certain mistakes in my work. I appreciate your help!


	15. Chapter 14: Imposter

A/N: Finally, I can type up some good action scenes! I am going to love this; I'm sure of it. I have some great ideas for the battles in the Forest of Death so hang on and prepare for the ride! Yes, I'm hyper right now. Here are your review responses.

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **You were right, though. It does sound cooler. Also, I do the hand-seals when I'm bored so I see whether or not the seals actually flow together.

**ShadowBack: **I like responding to reviews. This means that people have a reason to review because they know they are going to get a response from me, no matter how short the review is. Also, I appreciate the multiple reviews. I thought that if Sakura and Sasuke were curious about Naruto, they would try to pull something like this. I also knew that if Naruto was there when they did try to pull this off, he would get really pissed. I would think, with his intelligence, he would figure out what he could do to prevent himself from being revealed, even to his closest friends. Do you recall in the series when Kabuto showed a couple of ninjas Naruto's data? It **did **say that Naruto was the carrier of the Kyuubi and that would have been devastating to Naruto if the others found out by that little card. About Anko, you will have to read to find out, will you?

**Anime girl987: **I know, isn't it exciting? I can't wait to type it up!

**Causeiambetta: **Thank you for the compliment. I hope you like this chapter, too.

**Underdark Ranger: **It seems that a longer chapter is worth the wait, isn't it? By the way, I love their fries.

**Dragon Man 180: **I'm glad to hear it was interesting. I've read some other stories which have the paper exam depicted as a dull and boring experience when, in reality, it was a test with loads of pressure and the feeling of a 20 ton weight in the air is present and felt by every single genin in the room. Also, trust me, the Rain guy won't get anything on Naruto.

**Silver Warrior: **Man, I loved writing that part. Sasuke had his head handed to him on a silver platter while Naruto sends him mental messages that are saying, "You idiot; can't you see straight or are you just blind?" Also, I wasn't so proud of the way Naruto cheated, but I knew it was never used before, so I kept it there. The prank, I agree, was a good touch. About Anko, however, you will have to find out on your own.

**Conan98002: **Naruto will never be just comedic relief in this story. That is just a waste of a perfectly great character. I'm surprised the series didn't dwell on Naruto's terrible childhood that much. Seriously, if you were living alone without any love or guidance from anybody, how would you feel? After answering that question, ask yourself this; how would you feel if everyone in your city/town/village/whatever hated your guts and gave you nothing but insults, cold stares, spare saliva, and misdirected anger? Once you are done with that question, take the two previous questions and fuse them together. How would you feel if your life was just one big painful memory consisting of you and only you being bombarded with negativity on all sides? The answer to this last question is the description of Naruto's life. If anything, Naruto should be the complete opposite of comedic relief.

**VFSNAKE: **Kyuubi will make an appearance very soon. The second question's answer is a secret, even to me. Kakashi will be hurt some more for being a lazy asshole sometime later in the story.

**Meca Vegeta: **Um, what are you talking about?

**Draonzice: **Actually, it was something I thought up on the spot. It still was pretty funny, though.

**Kyuubidaime: **That would be interesting, but I already have the third exams planned out, including how the fights will go and what will happen after the preliminary battles for the third exam.

**Anime Boy07: **Riding on Tommy is fun. I knew I would have to include a scene like that sooner or later and I thought Kabuto's info cards were the best opportunity.

**Cearo Dameer: **I update pretty quickly unless I'm busy. I'll tell you when I am, though.

**NarutoNineTails: **Is it really that amazing?

**Hanlim80: **Okay, here you go! I hope you like it!

**WarShadow: **You know, I hadn't thought of that. I guess it'll be pretty long.

**Nekoofdeath: **I'm glad you like it; enjoy!

**Gyper: **I just made them longer as I got used to writing. It's nothing that big. I'm still glad you like the story!

**Gaara the hated: **Naruto doesn't have everything, though. He still has to deal with the problems of human life and there are a few things that Naruto could do without. Otherwise, yes, some of the events are suited to Naruto's advantage.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **Now that I think of it, I'm in a competition with other writers out there, aren't I? That's interesting. I never thought of it that way. I'm glad you like my story. I am trying to separate my story from the true storyline and the storylines of others while making it possible, at least in the ninja world. I sometimes mentally plan out battles or things like that, but I mostly get the ideas as I type. Well, keep in touch!

Disclaimer: Francis: Hi, everybody! I'm Francis the incredibly short giraffe. I'm only about 7 feet tall. I don't like it when we have to run from lawyers so please don't say **Omegaguardian **owns Naruto or else I'll eat all of your hair, okay?

**OG: **Okay then, Francis; I think they got the message. Don't eat their hair unless they deserve it. It hurts.

(Start chapter)

"What the hell is this?"

Naruto looked up as each one of the examinees said something similar to the above phrase. The above phrase itself was said by Uzumaki Naruto. Naruto looked up into Training Ground 44; the training ground in which they were to take the 2nd part of the exam.

Anko watched as each of the examinees reacted the way each genin normally did when this test occurred. She smiled as she caught their attention.

"This ground, Training area 44, is also known as the "Forest of Death". You'll soon find out first hand why it is called that."

Naruto felt the need to assert his mask and he did so in the form of a very rude outburst.

"I'm not afraid of this area just because it's called the "Forest of Death." Bring it on!"

Naruto looked forward to see Anko smiling pleasantly. Naruto noticed something and mentally got ready for anything. Naruto's suspicions were deemed true as Anko drew a kunai from her sleeve and threw it towards Naruto. Naruto was unable to react as he kunai grazed his cheek. Naruto then stepped to the right as Anko appeared behind where he was standing. Naruto quickly drew a kunai as Anko drew another from her sleeve. The kunai met with a loud "clang".

"Well, you are a spirited one. You've got guts to try and match me."

"Hmm, I faced much more dangers than you and the forest combined in one hour. I always have to be on guard. In fact…"

Naruto puffed in a column of smoke as Anko stood, baffled.

Anko sensed someone behind her and she used her kunai to try to stab the perpetrator, but she met a puff of smoke. Anko then looked around to see that she was surrounded by Shadow Clones. Naruto smirked as Anko huffed in annoyance. Naruto let her address the crowd as Naruto smiled smugly.

"Anyway, let me describe the area of your test. This forest is surrounded by 44 gates. There is a tower in the center of the forest about 10 kilometers from each of the gates. Your objective is to get to the tower while holding these two scrolls."

Anko pulled out two scrolls. The first scroll was white and had the kanji symbol for "heaven" on it. The second scroll was black and had the kanji symbol for "earth" on it. Anko continued to explain.

"Each team will receive one of these scrolls. Half of you will receive a heaven scroll and half of you will receive an earth scroll. You must gain these scrolls by any means necessary."

Anko put the scrolls back and held up one finger as she spoke again.

"There are also a few rules. The first rule is that you must reach the tower with both scrolls within 5 days. The second rule is that your entire team must arrive together. If one of your teammates is incapacitated or dead, your entire team fails. The third rule is that you must not open any of the scrolls until you reach the tower. But, before you get the scroll, you must sign one of these."

Anko then pulled out a large stack of papers and handed them to Naruto. Naruto then read the paper and he noted that the document was a contract saying that Anko would not be responsible for any death in this test. Anko then spoke again.

"In order to participate, you must sign one of those. If you don't and you die, it would be my responsibility. I don't like lawsuits so only sign if you are sure. When we are ready, you may exchange three release forms for one scroll. That's it for the explanations."

For around 30 minutes, the genin scattered to discuss with their teams or mentally debate whether or not they should sign the paper.

Naruto signed it instantly. Like he said, he had faced more dangers than this forest can dish out in an hour so 5 days should be no problem.

He looked around and tracked down the rookie nine. Sakura and Ino were having one of their famous "discussions" as Shikamaru and Chouji stood in horror. Kiba and Shino were sitting near a tree where Kiba was trying to get Shino to talk with their signed forms next to them. Sasuke was sitting by a rock, looking over his paper for any sign that said, "By signing this, Uchiha Sasuke will be able to defeat Uchiha Itachi." Hinata was sitting near a tree, obviously debating whether or not to sign the sheet. Naruto smiled and approached her.

"Do you mind if I join you, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata stiffened as Naruto approached. She shyly nodded as he sat down. Naruto looked at Hinata's paper as he spoke.

"Are you nervous?"

Hinata nodded slowly as Naruto continued.

"I don't blame you, Hinata-chan. There is actually a chance of dying in the forest during this test. But, think about it. The only people that can die are the ones who fail, right?"

Hinata nodded as Naruto continued.

"It's simple! All you have to do is get a scroll and get to the middle of the forest. When you pass, you can't die!"

Hinata turned towards Naruto as she thought about his words. By the way he said it, this test is easy! She still wasn't convinced and she still held a small depressed look. Naruto noticed this as he started to speak again.

"Come on, Hinata-chan; with your team's excellent teamwork and your great individual strengths, you'll pass this test easily! Also, I hope you make it through the test! I want to see how powerful you've become," Naruto said as he stood and walked away, leaving Hinata on the tree feeling at least a little bit better.

The curtain opened around the table that Anko pointed to and a man walked out and called to all the genin.

"We're ready now! Bring your team's three applications and we will give you a scroll! Then, choose a gate and wait for the gates to open!"

Each of the genin brought their applications to the table and got their scroll. The curtain was still in place, preventing anyone from seeing the scroll that the team received. This also prevented the others from finding out who has the scroll. Each of the teams gathered at each of the gates. Naruto's team was gathered in front of Gate 12, holding a Heaven scroll. Naruto didn't trust his teammates with anything so he sealed the scroll in a regular-looking one and gave Sasuke a scroll with a very convincing paint job. Naruto had one thing to say before the test began.

"This is going to be fun."

The gates burst open and Team 7 rushed in. 25 other gates opened similarly and the teams present rushed into the forest.

(POV change)

I hate this forest. It's so… creepy. Of course, I would never say this out loud. Naruto-kun was right, though. Kiba-kun and Shino-kun made an excellent plan to capture our enemies. Even if we need to get a scroll, it doesn't mean we have to fight.

We stood in the center of a clearing. I don't really say much, Kiba talks more than enough to cover both Shino and I. About 5 minutes into the conversation, I sensed something at the same time Akamaru started barking. Kiba got the message and got ready to speak to his soon-to-be hostages.

Suddenly, a set of screams were heard from my right. Three figures fell to the ground, writhing in pain. One of them was unlucky enough to hit one of my trip wires, unleashing a barrage of kunai at the unsuspecting ninja. That idea was a prank courtesy of Naruto-kun and his influence during school.

The ninja staggered to their feet and hit Kiba's trip wire, sending them up on the tree in a net as Shino's bugs devoured their flesh. Kiba began to speak.

"Those are Konoha Village's Jumping Leeches. If they continue sucking your blood for 5 minutes, you'll die. Now, hand over your scroll and we might let you go, seeing as my friend here is one of the few that can control them."

They immediately dropped their scroll and we were very lucky. It happened to be a Heaven scroll to match our Earth scroll. Now, all we need to do is get to the tower.

Like I said earlier, Naruto-kun was right!

"_I know that those leeches hurt, but you don't have to scream so loud!" _I thought as the leeches were relieved from their bodies. We did leave them in the net, though.

(Meanwhile)

A lingering scream was heard across the forest where Naruto was. Naruto heard the scream loud and clear, as did Sakura and Sasuke. We stopped momentarily and I chose that opportunity to do something that I forgot to do.

"Hold on for a second, I have to use the bathroom."

Sakura and Sasuke groaned as I left the small clearing to go behind a tree.

(POV change)

Couldn't he have done that earlier? Now, we're wasting time! This is stupid! We shouldn't have to wait while the dobe relieves his system of bodily waste!

Suddenly, however, Naruto jumps out from behind the tree. Something was wrong, though.

"_Isn't the dobe right-handed? Why does he have his holster on his left side? Wait; the scar on his face, where's the scar?" _I thought as the "Naruto" spoke.

"I'm sorry I took so long. There was just a lot of pee in there…"

I interrupted him with a direct tackle as this imposter is sent flying into a tree trunk. Sakura was about to beat him down, but she didn't seem to notice the flaws in his appearance.

"Sakura, this Naruto is worse than the real Naruto when it comes to transforming. This guy's a fake! Take a good look at his face and his kunai holster."

Sakura drew a kunai as she finally noticed what I did moments earlier.

Suddenly, a few kunai came and hailed upon the fake Naruto. The questions at hand were, "Where are those kunai coming from?" and, "Where is the real Naruto?"

Naruto jumped out of the trees startling Sakura and Sasuke. Naruto then came and punched the ninja in the gut while yelling at him.

"You asshole; you could have at least waited until I was done!"

Naruto puffed out of existence as the Rain ninja changed back into his real body.

The ninja, wearing a Rain headband, spoke in a cold voice.

"So, which one of you has the scroll? Your friend seems to have abandoned you."

Sasuke immediately jumped up and formed six seals and blew out a flame while calling out the name of the technique.

"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!"

The Rain ninja dodged the fireballs and charged towards Sasuke. Sasuke kicked the ninja and sent him flying away. The Rain ninja cursed and started to jump away.

Sasuke ran forward to give chase and stepped on a kunai. He lifted the kunai by focusing his chakra into the sole of his foot, making it stick to his shoe. Sasuke make a kicking motion, sending the kunai flying towards the Rain ninja. Sasuke saw the kunai hit and fall down out of sight. Sasuke then heard sounds of fighting and came into the clearing in which the ninja fell only to see Naruto searching the ninja. Naruto then stood and spoke to Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke, that really hurt!"

(Later)

Naruto sat as Sasuke spoke about what just happened.

"Okay, we need a password or phrase of some sort to make sure that we don't get fooled by an imposter of some sort. The pass-phrase will be the ninja song, "Ninki". Answer whoever asks with this phrase. "A large amount of loud enemies is the friend of the shinobi. Hide and stay silent. A shinobi must understand the proper time: when the enemy is tired and ill-prepared." If the phrase is said incorrectly, assume they are the enemy, regardless of their appearance."

"_Okay, it's time to act some more," _Naruto thought.

"I didn't get all of that; can the password be "Swordfish" or something like that?" Naruto asked

"You idiot, I got it on the first time," Sakura scolded.

Naruto suddenly felt a small pain as a needle grazed his cheek. Naruto looked in the direction it came from to sense the chakra molding of a person using a wind technique. Naruto instantly made the seals Ushi, Saru and Hitsuji out of sight and went in front of Sakura and Sasuke. Naruto used his wind to blow his teammates out of the line of fire and braced himself for the impact.

Naruto landed a little later. Naruto used Toppuu to brace his impact as Naruto landed softly. Naruto dusted himself and looked around. He began to walk back as he saw one problem

It was one huge snake.

"Holy shit," was all Naruto could say before he was eaten by the snake.

Naruto was pissed. _"Damn, snake; I'm going to get you for this. Now, what can I use?" _Naruto thought as he searched his jacket. He found a familiar scroll as he smirked.

"_These are the swords that I got from Wave country! This snake is toast."_

Outside the snake, a voice could be heard clearly despite the source being sandwiched between 2 feet of flesh.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Suddenly, the snake exploded as 20 orange figures jumped out of the snake, each wielding two swords. Naruto jumped into the trees with 18 of his clones while one started to head to the area where he thought Sasuke and Sakura were.

As the clone walked toward the battle zone, Naruto found some sinewy branches and fashioned them into straps and tied them around his back to allow him to keep the swords on his back. Naruto had a feeling he would need them.

(Meanwhile)

A giant snake was chasing Sasuke through the trees. Sasuke was afraid for his life as he ran out of the snake's path Sasuke started to panic as he thought and instinctively ran away.

"_That guy's killer intent is terrifying! I have to get away. I have to run! I have to keep moving!"_

Sasuke looked back as Sakura looked in horror. The snake was about 3 feet away when, suddenly, Sasuke saw a series of orange flashes. One of the flashes landed besides Sasuke and spoke.

"Sasuke, I forgot the stupid phrase. The password is swordfish."

Sakura looked in joy as Naruto held his swords, soaked in snake blood. If they weren't as relieved to see Naruto as they were at that moment, they would have questioned the swords, but they left it alone for now.

Naruto prepared for battle as he sheathed one of the swords. Naruto figured out that fighting with one sword was much easier than fighting with two, especially when he had absolutely no experience.

Naruto was disgusted as a figure rose from the bowels of the sliced snake. The figure wrapped his body on a tree branch as Naruto prepared himself. The Grass ninja, as judged by his headband, started to speak.

"So, Naruto-kun, you managed to beat my snake, did you?"

"Yeah, I did, but I think your other snake isn't doing much better. You know; the one that tried to eat me?"

Sasuke thought as Naruto and the Grass ninja had their conversation.

"_Even if Naruto's here, what difference does that make? This guy is on a whole different level! At this rate, we all are going to be killed! What can I do? What can I do? Wait; the scroll is with me! If this goes well, we can escape with our lives!"_

"Hold on; I'll give you the scroll if you leave us in peace."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he spoke to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing?" Naruto asked in a voice that restrained anger.

"Shut up; it's the only way!" Sasuke yelled back. The Grass ninja spoke as Naruto clenched his fist in anger.

"That's very smart of you. Sometimes, the only way to get away from a predator is to distract it with another meal."

Sasuke then threw the scroll. Naruto charged forward and grabbed it, glad that he made such a convincing copy. He then pocketed the scroll while landing next to Sasuke again. Sasuke started to yell at Naruto as he landed again.

"You are an idiot! Why did you do that! Don't you understand the situation!"

Naruto only responded by turning and punching Sasuke in the face, sending him flying.

Sasuke flipped mid-flight and landed on a nearby tree branch. Sasuke began to yell again.

"You bastard, what are you doing!"

Naruto was breathing hard as he raised his sword. Naruto started to speak as he stared with a cold eye.

"You're lucky I need information from you or else I would have hit you with this sword. Where's Sasuke!"

"What are you talking about! I am Sasuke!"

"There's no way the real Sasuke is this much of a coward. Now, tell me where he is!"

Sasuke widened his eyes in realization as Naruto continued.

"What guarantee is there that he will let us go if you give him the scroll? I don't know how strong this guy is, but you are way too freaked out to handle the situation! I have officially lost all remaining respect for you, Sasuke-chan!"

"Naruto-kun, you are absolutely correct. Why go away when I can have both you and the scroll?"

The Grass ninja raised his sleeve and bit his thumb. His left arm had a tattoo on it. The Grass ninja spread his blood on the tattoo as Naruto widened his eyes in recognition. Naruto charged to prevent him from completing the technique as the ninja formed five seals, I, Inu, Tori, Saru, Hitsuji. Naruto jumped to attack as the ninja said the name of the technique.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu"

A large wind blew as Naruto was suspended in the air. A large snake burst through the branch that the ninja was standing on and tried to attack Naruto. Naruto used his sword defend himself as the snake drew closer. Naruto used a small burst of wind to move himself upward as the snake completely missed. Naruto then landed on a tree branch and waited as the snake approached. The snake's tail started to move down like a hammer as Naruto raised his sword to defend. Naruto did not feel an impact as he looked forward again. Naruto only saw the Grass ninja smirk before the tail rose from beneath him, destroying the branch. Naruto flew upward and hit his back hard on a tree branch overhead. Naruto then fell as though he was unconscious but he still held the sword tightly. The ninja commanded the snake to eat Naruto as the snake lunged forward for the kill. Naruto immediately opened his now red eyes and ferociously swung his blade through the snake's nose. Naruto continued to rain heavy slices through the snake's snout as Sakura and Sasuke watched in horror. Naruto was flicked away every so often by the snake, but he always came back and continued his onslaught. Naruto was flicked away one final time as He fell to a lower branch. The Grass ninja started to speak as Sasuke stood in awe and fright.

"Now, it's your turn, Sasuke-kun. How are you going to fight?"

The snake charged towards Sasuke. Sasuke was frozen in fear as the snake's bloody head drew closer. Sasuke could see every drop of blood and every incision as he stared forward into the face of what he believed was his death. Sasuke braced his body and closed his eyes as he heard an impact in front of him.

This was odd, however. Sasuke was also supposed to feel the impact. The fact that he didn't tugged at his curiosity. Sasuke opened his eyes to see Naruto in front of him, holding the snake back with only two kunai. The swords that he used were sheathed on his back. Naruto lifted his head as he spoke. The one thing that shocked him more than Naruto's increased speed and power was the fact that Naruto's sky blue eyes had turned into a blood red color. The fear that he felt from the Grass ninja was nothing compared to the fear placed within him by Naruto's eyes.

"This Sasuke in front of me is not the Sasuke I know. You are a weak coward."

Sasuke widened his eyes as a tongue wrapped around Naruto's torso and arms. Naruto was lifted upward as the Grass ninja looked at Naruto closely.

"_So, this is the Kyuubi brat. It's surprising that he's still alive. I need to dispose of him, now. He's a menace."_

The Grass ninja focused his chakra on each of his fingers as a purple flame appeared on each of them. The ninja used his tongue to lift up Naruto's shirt as the seal appeared. The ninja thrust the hand with the purple flames into Naruto's stomach while calling out the name of the technique.

"Gogyou Fuuin"

Naruto's eyes widened as they shifted from blood red to their usual sky blue. The last thing Naruto heard as the Grass ninja's laughing and the last thing Naruto felt was a kunai pinning his shirt to a tree.

(Meanwhile)

Sasuke watched as the Grass ninja held their Heaven scroll Sakura started to yell at Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun; Naruto is different from you. He may be an idiot and a nuisance sometimes, but at least he's not a coward!"

Sasuke lowered his eyes as Sakura looked in confusion. Sakura smiled as Sasuke suddenly whipped his head upward, his Sharingan active.

"If I can't risk my life now, how can I hope to defeat him? I will fight!"

The snake under the ninja exploded in a puff of smoke and the ninja landed on a nearby branch. As if an unheard signal went off in the area, the ninja and Sasuke charged at each other, each armed with a kunai. The kunai clashed and the two ninjas exchanged blows. Sasuke ducked the ninja's punch and counterattacked using a kick. The kick is blocked and is met with another fierce punch. Sasuke suddenly jumped back and attacked with a barrage of projectiles. All of them seemed to miss as the Grass ninja stood still, watching the kunai and shuriken rush past. He watched in amazement as he thought.

"Is this the ­Soufuushasan no Tachi?"

Sasuke landed on a high tree branch and held the strings with his hands and teeth. He yanked on the twine, pulling the projectiles and changing their course to wrap around the Grass ninja. The ninja was tied to the tree behind him by the ropes and Sasuke smirked as he held the strings inside his mouth. Sasuke then quickly made four seals before he burst into flames. The Grass ninja could only look in horror as Sasuke used a powerful fire technique.

"Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu"

The searing flames traveled by the strings to incinerate the Grass ninja. The ninja's body grew limp as the technique ended and Sasuke sank down, nearly exhausted.

Sasuke stood unsteadily as Sakura came near him. Sakura looked at Sasuke in amazement as the ropes broke on the tree across the clearing. The ninja started to speak as he walked forward. His voice; however, sounded… different. The ninja had his hand over his forehead protector's symbol as he spoke.

"Well, Sasuke-kun, it seems you are a true carrier of the Uchiha blood. You truly are brothers. Something is shining in your eyes that have the potential to be stronger than Itachi. I want to have you after all."

As he finished, the ninja removed his hand, revealing a headband with a musical note. Sasuke and Sakura couldn't move at this point due to some strange force. The ninja held the Heaven scroll and it started to burn as he spoke again.

"My name is Orochimaru. If you wish to see me again, defeat my team of Sound ninja and survive the exam."

Sakura started to speak as he finished. "What are you talking about! We never want to see you again!"

"I doubt it," came as a response. Orochimaru formed an odd seal as his neck began to stretch towards them. Paralyzed, they couldn't move out of the way as Sasuke was bit on the neck. An odd symbol, much like the commas in Sasuke's Sharingan, appeared on Sasuke's neck as he started to scream in pain. Sakura started to yell.

"What did you do to Sasuke-kun!"

Orochimaru started to disappear through the branch he was standing on as he spoke his last set of words.

"I gave him a farewell gift. He will come to seek me for power. It was enjoyable testing your abilities."

Orochimaru only laughed evilly as he disappeared, leaving Sakura with the burden of carrying her teammates.

(POV change)

It was dark. He couldn't see. All he could see was blackness as he woke up. Naruto could feel his surroundings and Naruto could hear voices in the distance, but he just couldn't see! This was crappy!

"_I hate this! I don't even have the energy to open my eyes! Whatever the hell that snake bastard did to me is really screwing with my chakra! It feels different for some reason. Wait, I think I hear something." _Naruto thought as his hearing improved slightly.

"My name is Orochimaru. If you wish to see me again, defeat my team of Sound ninja and survive the exam."

"_Who is that? Is that the snake bastard? He sounds different."_

"What are you talking about! We never want to see you again!"

"_That's Sakura; I know it."_

"I doubt it."

"_That's the snake bastard. What does he mean?"_

What Naruto heard next disturbed him. He heard Sasuke's piercing scream. Sasuke screamed continuously as Sakura spoke.

"What did you do to Sasuke-kun!"

"_Something's wrong. That scream sounded really bad."_

"I gave him a farewell gift. He will come to seek me for power. It was enjoyable testing your abilities."

"_That was a test! I don't want to even think about what would happen if he was serious!"_

Naruto tried to open his eyes to no avail. Naruto was plucked off the tree about 5 minutes after Sasuke's screaming stopped.

(Later)

Naruto was dropped hard onto the ground. Naruto could hear and feel his surroundings. Just because he couldn't open his eyes; it didn't mean he was unconscious. Naruto could hear a gentle pat beside him as he thought Sasuke was placed on the ground. Naruto was slightly annoyed.

"_Gee, Sakura, you could at least treat my "unconscious" body with respect. The more you injure it, the more you have to wait for me to heal. Since I'm conscious, I should be able to move in about a few hours."_

(Later)

"Were you keeping watch all night?"

Naruto awoke with a start. Naruto was now able to move his head slightly and open his eyes a small amount so he moved his head to face the source of the voice.

Naruto could see fuzzy images of three people in the distance as the one in the center spoke, at least, that is what Naruto thought.

"That is no longer necessary. Wake Sasuke-kun up, if you don't mind. We wish to fight him."

Naruto kept his head in position to make them believe he is asleep since, for all intents and purposes, he is. Naruto heard Sakura's voice beside him as she spoke.

"What are you talking about! Who are you! What do you want! We know that a guy name Orochimaru is pulling the strings from the shadows!"

The three people made a sudden movement. They were obviously surprised.

"_Who are these assholes? What do they want with Sasuke?" _Naruto thought as he listened closely to Sakura's words.

"What is that weird bruise on Sasuke-kun's neck! You want to fight him after you gave him something like that!"

"_Bruise; what bruise are they talking about? I didn't know about a bruise."_

"Since you know about that, we can't let you live. Zaku, kill the girl."

The person on the left moved forward and started to speak.

"With pleasure; this is going to be fun."

The center person moved and stopped the person called Zaku. "Zaku, wait; there's a trap here."

The center person moved and bent down to pick up something green. He then spoke to Sakura.

"Grass doesn't grow in this fashion. This is obviously a trap. Traps are useless if they are noticed. Kill her."

The three blurs moved upward and started to go out of Naruto's small sight range. Unable to see, Naruto closed his eyes completely and focused on the sounds.

Naruto heard a snapping noise like the snapping of rope near his body followed by a loud roaring noise. The roaring noise stopped abruptly and was replaced by a crackling noise. Naruto then heard three impacts as well as a familiar voice calling out a technique name.

"Konoha Senpuu!"

Naruto immediately recognized the voice and tried to open his eyes. Naruto could open them a little wider and he could see clearly in a small area. A person wrapped in bandages and a hay-like coat spoke to a person in green spandex.

"Who are you?"

"I am Konoha's beautiful green beast, Rock Lee!

Sakura then spoke to Lee in a whisper that Naruto could hear.

"Lee, what are you doing here? We're enemies in this fight."

Lee responded as Naruto listened in.

"I said I will protect you with my life. I intend to keep that promise."

Sakura responded as Naruto was able to open his eyes normally. Naruto could see in a wide range, but he stayed still since he couldn't move his body that much.

"Thank you, Lee."

Naruto looked closely as Lee unwound the bandages on his arms. The hay-backed Sound ninja charged towards Lee as he prepared for his attack. Before Lee disappears in front of the Sound ninja, he says one phrase.

"It is to protect the people you care about!"

Naruto looked closely as Lee knocked the Sound ninja into the air using the same tactic that was used on Sasuke before the first exam. Lee then landed on the ground and disappeared, reappearing behind the Sound ninja as he flies through the air. Lee says something out of range and then wraps the bandages around the Sound ninja and held him as he began to spin rapidly. Naruto watched in awe as the Sound ninja smashed into the ground.

"Omote Renge!"

Naruto grimaced slightly as he noticed another ninja which Naruto thought was Zaku plunge his ands into the ground and force something down, bracing the hay-backed ninja's fall. The ninja rose out of the hole and stood to face Lee again.

"Terrifying; that technique even hurts that much on a sponge of dirt. Now, however, it's my turn."

The ninja then raised the sleeve on his right arm, showing a large silver device with holes. The ninja charged forward and stopped right in front of Lee. Lee only kneeled down in pain as the ninja spoke.

"Your techniques are fast, but our techniques surpass that with the speed of sound. I'll show you something that hark work can't surpass alone. A wall of sound is your worst nightmare since sound is just vibrations that are interpreted by the ears. If you damage the membrane in the ears, you lose all sense of balance. That move was impressive, though"

Another Sound ninja called out from his position near two holes. Naruto knew he was the reason the hay-backed ninja survived the attack. "Yeah, you made me reveal my ability. I can control air pressure so creating a cushion of air is easy pickings." The ninja said as the hay-backed ninja spoke again.

"Now that you're incapacitated, I can go after YOU!"

The Sound ninja charged towards Sakura. Naruto found it incredible when Lee stumbled over and blocked the blow, allowing the metal device to vibrate, creating a screeching noise. The ninja began to speak.

"That's really impressive. You shouldn't be able to move. I'll fix that, though. This arm plate acts to make tiny sounds unbearably loud. It's an amplifier, if you will. Also, if the plate doesn't point towards my target, I can use my chakra to guide the sounds to my target so I hit my mark anyway!"

Lee screamed as he fainted on the forest floor. Naruto was regaining movement ability little by little but he was still a liability if he went into battle. Sakura called out as Lee fell and she threw some kunai. They were blocked by the hay-backed ninja's arm plate. Sakura threw a set of shuriken and they were knocked back by a gust of air coming from the boy ninja's palms through little holes. The shuriken were blocked and reflected as Sakura fell over. The third Sound ninja, a girl, grabbed Sakura's hair as she spoke.

"Your hair is so much shinier than mine. If you have time to shampoo your hair, train! Hey, Zaku, let's kill Sasuke in front of "Little Miss Pretty Ninja" here."

Zaku smirked as he walked forward towards Sasuke and Naruto. Naruto was able to use about half of his body at this point, but he was planning to ambush the ninja if he needed to intervene. Naruto felt something weird beside him and turned to see something rising out of Sasuke. Naruto turned around as the girl ninja spoke.

"It's useless; that won't work against me."

Sakura turned to face the girl slightly within her hold as she held a kunai. She smirked as she did something that surprised everyone.

"Who said it was for you?" Sakura asked as she cut her pink hair where the girl Sound ninja was holding her. The ninja fell back and Sakura immediate charged at Zaku. Naruto inwardly smiled as Sakura found her inner courage and threw a barrage of kunai at Zaku. Zaku thrust his hands forward and called out the name of his technique.

"Zankuuha!"

Sakura performed a variety of seals and disappeared in a puff of smoke only to be replaced by a log.

"Kawarimi no Jutsu? That is so basic."

Sakura appeared above Zaku where she formed the same seals.

"Are you doing it again? Can't you do anything else?" Zaku asked as he threw kunai at her and started to look around, convinced that she turned into a log. Zaku was surprised, however, when a drop of blood fell on his face.

"What; she's real this time?" Zaku asked before he was tackled to the ground by Sakura's body. Sakura immediately bit onto one of his arms as Zaku bashed her head with the other. Naruto cringed at every blow as more blood poured out of her wounds. Naruto could move his entire body, but he couldn't move it very well. Naruto felt the presence beside him grow as Sakura's body was thrown. Sakura was in bad shape as she landed on the ground. She started to try to stand as three figures jumped into the battle area.

Naruto recognized them instantly. Team 10 had come to try to help Sakura's situation. Sakura and Ino were having a small conversation out of earshot as the presence within Sasuke increased again. Naruto was starting to get worried as he heard tidbits of the conversation.

"Hey, guys! What was that for! These guys are dangerous!" Chouji shouted.

"It's troublesome, but Ino jumped out. If she went out, our position was compromised anyway." Shikamaru responded.

"Sorry to get you involved, but we're a three-man team," Ino said as a response to Chouji's comment.

"We'll work it out, somehow," Shikamaru said as Chouji started to protest again.

"No way; I don't want to die yet!"

"Well, then go ahead and run, fatty." Zaku said as Chouji turned his back.

Naruto twitched. If there was anything you shouldn't say to Chouji, it was saying he was fat. Saying that is basically a death wish. Chouji reacted as he usually did.

"What did that guy just say?"

"I said you can run if you want fatass."

Chouji turned in anger at being called the "f" word twice in the span of 2 minutes. He started to uncharacteristically yell at the sound ninja, gain a twitch from Naruto and a confused and dumbfounded look from Sakura.

"I am not fat! I am just chubby! Okay, Ino, Shikamaru, you know what to do, right? This is a war between Leaf and Sound!"

Ino started to speak. "Sakura, you go take care of your teammates. We'll take care of these guys."

Sakura nodded as Ino called the other two members of her team. "Okay, Team 10, Battle Formation: Ino-Shika-Chou! Okay, Chouji, go for it!"

Chouji nodded as he formed a seal with his hands.

"Baika no Jutsu, followed by Nikudan Sensha!"

Chouji turned into a large boulder as Sakura blocked the entryway to the tiny cave. I could see Chouji's limbs and head go into his body while the entire structure began to roll at high speeds. Zaku started to laugh as he spoke.

"What's that technique? It's just a rolling fatass. Zankuuha!"

A ripping wind created a large headwind for Chouji's rolling body and the two attacks were evenly matched for a moment. When the boulder that was Chouji's body lifted into the air, Zaku was confident that the battle was over. The problem was the fact that there was now a looming shadow over him as he saw a large green rolling object attempt to smash him from above.

The hay-backed Sound ninja rushed to save Zaku from an untimely doom by a large meat boulder but suddenly, he was unable to move. When he did, it wasn't movements that he wanted. He found out that a shadow was connecting him to Shikamaru, who was making him copy everything he did, no matter how stupid! Shikamaru then started to speak

"This is Kagemane no Jutsu. You can't move unless I tell you to and your movements are my movements."

The girl saw how ridiculous her teammate looked as he called to him.

"Dosu, is that really necessary? This is hardly the time!"

She then realized that he was copying every stupid movement of Shikamaru and he could do nothing about it. She heard a small conversation between the shadow-user and the blonde girl

"Shikamaru, you take care of my body while I'm gone!"

"Yeah, I'll do it."

"Ninpou: Shintenshin no Jutsu"

Zaku was surprised since both of his teammates were incapacitated while he was left with a rolling meat boulder. Naruto smirked inwardly as he saw the brilliance in that plan. The girl Sound ninja began to speak in Ino's voice.

"Okay then, if you want your teammate back, drop your scroll and leave! When I can't sense your chakra signatures, I'll release your teammate."

Ino chuckled as she held onto the Sound girl's consciousness.

She was met with a rude awakening as Zaku turned his palm towards Kin. Ino called Chouji to block the inevitable wind attack, but he made it only to get hit with half the blow. Kin's body hit a nearby tree and Ino's body started to bleed, much to Dosu's delight. Naruto inwardly frowned as he also realized the flaw in their team's strategy.

"_These guys defy all that they were trained to do! Ino and Team 10 figured that they would actually care about their teammate! Since they don't this plan is falling apart, especially since Chouji has returned to normal. Also, if I know the Kagemane that well, I know that time's almost up! This is bad! I have to get up, but I can't move my body that efficiently, yet! Shit! This is really bad! Wait, who is that up there?"_

As Naruto predicted, the shadows began to recede from Dosu's body as he regained motion. Chouji was now incapacitated since he was recovering from the Nikudan Sensha. Shikamaru was now placed in a very bad position as he held Ino's body.

Naruto struggled to look up to see what appeared to be Lee's team. A small discussion took place in which Dosu complained that these people were coming like insects. A person with eyes similar to Hinata's spoke and activated his Byakugan, scaring the Sound ninja as he spoke.

"The boy with the bowl cut is ours. Since you hurt him, we are now involved."

The Byakugan wielder felt something and looked towards Naruto. Naruto was getting worried because of this aura rising out of Sasuke. Dosu ignored the white-eyed boy's questioning gaze as he spoke.

"Well, if you don't like it, why don't you come down here and "teach us a lesson"?"

The white-eyed boy smirked before responding.

"I won't have to."

Naruto felt one last intense burst of chakra beside him as he turned to Sasuke. He was waking up and he stood steadily and came up behind Sakura. He could only ask one thing as he looked around.

"Sakura; point out the ones who pummeled you into that state."

Sakura was afraid as she felt the cold aura radiating from Sasuke's body. Naruto felt the aura and it was the darkest thing he has ever felt. Sakura could only stutter out a response.

"Sasuke, your body…"

Sasuke looked at his hand and watched as the black marks extended and the purple chakra intensified. He smiled as he gave his response.

"It's alright, Sakura. I feel power emanating from my very core. I realize now; I am an avenger. Even if I must sell my soul to the devil, I must gain power at any cost. Now, tell me!"

The people present looked up in horror as Zaku, the oblivious idiot he is, answer Sasuke's question.

"It was us! We did that. In fact, I pummeled her personally."

Sasuke looked at him with blood-red Sharingan eyes as black marks and purple chakra crawled all over his body. He began to speak in a cold tone.

"Then you will be the first to suffer."

Shikamaru chose this moment to take Ino and Chouji and run into the bushes while shouting to Kin.

"Ino, get back to your own body! We don't want to get involved in this!"

Kin reacted by canceling the technique and slumping to the floor. Naruto saw Team 10 disappear from sight as Sasuke went towards Zaku. Zaku placed his hand together and started to focus chakra in his palms. Sasuke whipped up and reacted as Zaku unleashed his technique.

"Zankuukyokuha!"

Zaku smirks as he realizes that they vanished. Overconfident, Zaku mutters, "Heh, I blew those pipsqueaks away."

Zaku is surprised when he hears a reaction to that statement in the form of Sasuke's voice.

"What pipsqueak are you talking about?" Sasuke asked as Zaku is flung halfway across the clearing. Naruto could see that Dosu was visibly shaken by Sasuke's speed and strength, as was Naruto himself.

"_Where the hell did Sasuke get this power! Is it from those black marks? Also, did he have to drop me so hard!"_

If Naruto wasn't immobile, he would have yelled at Sasuke for dropping him, but it seemed that he was busy.

Naruto watched in horror as Sasuke used a fire technique that Sasuke called Katon: Housenka no Jutsu to produce some fireballs. Zaku laughed smugly as he blew the fire out to reveal Shuriken within the flames. Zaku blocked the shuriken and Naruto heard Dosu's voice as Sasuke vanished.

"Zaku, look out underneath you!"

Zaku looked down and Sasuke hit his chin. As he fell forward, Sasuke grabbed Zaku's wrists. Naruto could hear Sasuke speak in a cold voice as Zaku struggled to free his arms.

"You are prideful of your arms, I take it? It's time to bid them farewell."

Zaku struggled to free his arms and screamed out in agony as Sasuke yanked forcefully, dislocating the shoulders. Even Naruto, who was on the ground, could see that. Sasuke then turned towards Dosu and spoke in the same cold tone.

"Now, it's your turn."

Sakura chose this time to run forward and grab Sasuke from behind. Naruto could hear very clearly as Sakura spoke from Sasuke's back.

"Please stop, Sasuke-kun. You've done enough."

The black marks receded as the dark aura disappeared. Naruto could see Sasuke's knees buckle as he fell to the ground. Sakura stayed with him to make sure he was alright as Dosu spoke.

"I see that I'm too weak to face you. It seems that my teammates are also in no condition to fight so I will give you this as payment for your trouble. If you let us go now, I will guarantee that if we meet again in this exam, we will not hold back. I bid you farewell and I apologize for the inconvenience."

Dosu dropped a black scroll of Earth as he went to pick up his incapacitated teammates. Zaku was still in pain and Kin was recovering from Ino's Shintenshin no Jutsu. Dosu started to walk away as Sakura called out to his retreating form.

"Wait; who is Orochimaru and what does he want!"

Dosu stopped and turned his head slightly as he responded.

"We don't know. We were only ordered to kill Sasuke-kun. I don't know what his plans are. I'm sorry."

Team 10 returned to the clearing as Dosu and his team left. Naruto could finally move most of his body, but he was still lying down with his eyes closed, thinking about his situation.

"_Well, this sucks. I can move my body after the battle. Man, Sasuke gets all the fun."_

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as he felt a bump on his head. Naruto slowly got up and glared at the person who hit him, which just happened to be Shikamaru. Naruto spoke with a steely glare.

"You are so lucky that I can't move my body that well right now. I do appreciate what your team did for Sakura, though."

Shikamaru seemed surprised at this little tidbit of information. It seemed that everyone was too focused on the battle to notice that he was awake. He looked around to see a girl in a pink shirt shaking Lee back into the world of the conscious. He also saw Ino trimming Sakura's now short hair. He picked up the Earth scroll with a wide smile since he knew that they completed their objective.

(Later)

At the beginning of the fourth day, Naruto and Team 7 were traversing through the forest. There was a conversation taking place, but it was mostly between Sakura and Sasuke, much to Naruto's annoyance.

"So, how are we going to get a Heaven scroll?" Sakura asked.

"I don't know, but we have to do it fast. We only have a day left," Sasuke responded.

"Hey, guys…" Naruto started.

"Shut up, Naruto. Sasuke, where are we going to find another team?" Sakura said.

"Guys…" Naruto said before Sasuke started speaking.

"I don't know. We should try near the tower. Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke said in response.

"But, guys, we have a Heaven scroll," Naruto said.

"Don't be stupid Naruto. We only have an Earth scroll," Sakura said.

"No we don't, we have…" Naruto started again.

"SHUT UP, NARUTO!" was the simultaneous reply from his teammates.

Team 7 soon reached the tower and Sakura and Sasuke groaned. Naruto thought that now would be a good time to say what he wanted to say as he, alone, opened the door. Sakura began to yell as Naruto took out a plain scroll and the Earth scroll inside the tower.

"Naruto, you know we can't pass without both of the scrolls!"

Naruto groaned outwardly as Naruto opened the scroll that looked normal. A puff of smoke appeared as he spoke.

"That is what I've been trying to tell you! I have the Heaven scroll!"

Naruto grabbed the item that appeared within the smoke and showed it to Sakura and Sasuke. They both stared dumbly at Naruto as he picked up the Earth scroll and pushed his teammates in the room and shut the door. Naruto walked in front of them as he noticed their faces. He only said one statement.

"Well, don't you feel stupid?"

(End Chapter)

Technique List:

Katon: Housenka no Jutsu: Fire Release: Chinese-Phoenix Immortal Fire Technique

Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Summoning Technique

Gogyou Fuuin: Five Element Seal

­Soufuushasan no Tachi: Manipulating Windmill Triple Blades

Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu: Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique

Konoha Senpuu: Leaf Whirlwind

Omote Renge: Front Lotus

Zankuuha: Decapitating Air Wave

Baika no Jutsu: Multi Size Technique

Nikudan Sensha: Human Bullet Tank

Kagemane no Jutsu: Shadow Imitation Technique

Ninpou: Shintenshin no Jutsu: Ninja Art: Mind Body Switch Technique

Zankuukyokuha: Extreme Decapitating Air Waves

A/N: Man, I love it when Naruto tricks the hell out of someone. That reaction from Sakura and Sasuke really made my day! The statement from Naruto only made it even better! I love that! I hope you like it. This chapter really starts to bring out the Action/Adventure part of my story.

Revision Notice: This is about an hour and a half after I posted my latest chapter.Sorry, butI forgot to add the Technique List at the end of this chapter so I added it. Thank you to all who reviewed up to this point! I'll update soon!


	16. Chapter 15: Acknowledgement

A/N: I'm not exactly done with my homework, but I'm taking a break to write this up every so often. You get bored really quickly when you're reading a textbook to get your information. Anyway, I appreciate your comments and reviews! I hope you like this chapter as well as you liked the last one! Here are the review responses!

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **That's what I'm counting on! I like it when people point out little flaws in my work. It's not that much trouble and I fix it relatively quickly. I'm just glad some people are observant enough to see and courteous enough to say something about it. So, as you said, sit back and enjoy the show!

**VFSNAKE: **I actually have that specific part planned out. Thanks for your suggestion, though. Also, Naruto gets to pay them back by that nasty trick he pulled, even if it was for their benefit.

**Anime Boy07: **You are lucky. I hate summer homework! It sucks and it's so boring!

**Ecchi-Anbu: **I'm sorry if you were disappointed. You have to think, though. The Sound ninja were ordered to kill Sasuke. They were going to kill off the rest of his team after their objective was complete. Seeing as that wasn't the case. They had to fight wave after wave of Konoha ninja so they didn't really have a chance to strike at Naruto's seemingly unconscious body.

**Zenithar: **I really liked the trick he pulled on Sasuke and Sakura. It was really funny and I could just imagine their faces now!

**Nekoofdeath: **I liked it, too. It was like reliving the times when I wrote Naruto's pranks!

**MagusKyros: **I really don't know. I may have to consider changing the title a little later on.

**Causeiambetta: **I know; I shouldn't give Naruto everything. That would make a very dull story and I don't want that! Naruto has to, unfortunately, lose sometimes.

**Silver Warrior: **I know, isn't it great! That meant that Naruto never tried to open the scroll during the exam and Kabuto-teme didn't have to come to them. Also, I got to make a fool out of Sakura and Sasuke!

**Nantukoprime: **You're right; I shouldn't have done that. That was a forced conversation and nothing came out of it. I do have something planned, though.

**Don't expect anything. Then you're never disappointed. : **Those idiots really need to work on their listening skills. Anyone really observant would have seen the true Naruto already.

**Gyper: **Thanks for your support. I'll still update quickly because I'm curious about what'll happen outside of my plans.

**Dragon Man 180: **I liked how Naruto tricked them. Kabuto-teme is an idiot so I didn't put him in the picture. Also, if you want to see what will happen between Hinata and Neji, you'll have to keep reading to find out!

**Conan98002: **I love that line! It just rubbed salt in the wound as the other two members of his team look at him in a mix of surprise and stupidity. I hope that teaches them to listen when he speaks, huh?

**Dawnstar28: **I'm glad you reviewed this time, anyway! Keep reading; I hope you like my writing.

**VenomLord: **You don't know how close you are. The mask may drop, but Naruto would still keep up a front of some sort. I hope you get your story up; I love your work!

**Korrd: **You'll have to read to find out, huh?

**Gohan-Chan: **It does suck, but if it doesn't happen, how is he going to meet Mega Perv?

**WarShadow: **Sorry, I needed to fix a few things and it was hard to describe. I'm really sorry if you didn't understand it.

**Clone Daniel: **OO Do you really mean it? Am I really? I know that I only write well when I'm motivated, but really! I really love your review! Thank you; Thank you; Thank you! By the way, I love this portrayal of Naruto. He's not the little blonde idiot he shows everyone, you know. I just like explaining a few things that Naruto does in the show and manga, even if I think the English version reeks to high heaven. I just got disgusted with the show and I decided to make a fan-fiction of what should happen, that's all. Inspiration doesn't always have to come from good a source; that's for sure.

**Gaara the hated: **I just wanted to emphasize that Naruto's teammates treat him like shit half of the time. It about time Naruto did something about it!

**Kitsu Maharu: **Thank you so much for your very detailed reviews about what I did wrong. I really appreciate your effort and I corrected Chapters 13 and 14 for you. Thanks for the advice! Say "hi" to the cow for me, okay?

**NarutoNineTails: **Thanks for your review. I'll update when I have time.

**Half-Gothic Chick: **Will do; thanks for the review!

**Tsugiko: **Well, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **AHH, attacking teddy bear! Get it away!

**Dragonzice: **Yes, Gogyô Fûin is that five element seal thing. Also, I made it so Kabuto doesn't have much information on Naruto and Sasuke.

**ShadowBack: **I'm glad you think so. I made a few changes to make my story stand out a little bit. I wanted to cover angles that weren't covered before, if you know what I mean. Also, don't worry; they'll get better, maybe.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I'm really glad you think so! I want to make this story as unique as possible without invading other's ideas. I'm sorry again about the Enmaku thing.

**HorusRei: **To tell the truth, I started this story with the inspiration from LoR. After speaking with the author and reading his story, I made it my own. Please tell me if it's too much like LoR so I can fix it.

**Conlan0414863: **Will do; keep on reading.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you like the Gaara plushie, I think. I'm also really glad that you liked my story! I like to bring light to certain unappreciated characters, such as Ibiki.

Disclaimer: **OG: **So, everybody, did you have a good vacation?

Juniper: It was okay.

Harry: It was a good thing that you sent us to a spa where people don't stare at you for being a "mythical creature". Thanks.

Jessie: It was nice and calming, thank you very much. I had a nice time.

Benny: It was nice to not have to deal with anybody who wanted to sue you or something.

Ronald: I had fun… ZZzzz.

**OG: **By the way, **Amine Boy, **you made Ronald a narcoleptic! Benny, I need you to do the disclaimer for me, if you don't mind.

Benny: Certainly; **Omegaguardian **does not own Naruto or any of its characters in any way shape or form. I just got back from a vacation so I'm ready to use an old-fashioned Chewbacca defense on anyone who says otherwise.

(Last Chapter…)

Team 7 soon reached the tower and Sakura and Sasuke groaned. Naruto thought that now would be a good time to say what he wanted to say as he, alone, opened the door. Sakura began to yell as Naruto took out a plain scroll and the Earth scroll inside the tower.

"Naruto, you know we can't pass without both of the scrolls!"

Naruto groaned outwardly as Naruto opened the scroll that looked normal. A puff of smoke appeared as he spoke.

"That is what I've been trying to tell you! I have the Heaven scroll!"

Naruto grabbed the item that appeared within the smoke and showed it to Sakura and Sasuke. They both stared dumbly at Naruto as he picked up the Earth scroll and pushed his teammates in the room and shut the door. Naruto walked in front of them as he noticed their faces. He only said one statement.

"Well, don't you feel stupid?"

(Start Chapter 16)

Sasuke and Sakura were still staring as Naruto scowled.

"_I don't see what they're surprised about. I may have hid the real scroll in one of my own using my sealing technique and gave them a blank scroll, but they don't need to be that surprised."_

As they regained their ability to speak, Sakura stuttered out a few words.

"But… how did you… it was … but… that guy… huh?"

Naruto smirked at this little untranslatable statement and started to laugh as he spoke.

"Well, you should have listened to me. I was trying to tell you that I gave you guys a fake and sealed the real one inside this scroll. I knew some idiot would try to get us and capture our scroll, and this way, we still pass. Lighten up, would you? You guys still pass with me."

Naruto walked towards the center of the large room and noticed a large unwound scroll on the wall with writing on it. Naruto started to read as Sakura and Sasuke listened.

"'If you do not have Heaven, go to gain knowledge and wisdom. If you do not possess Earth, go to train in the fields and gain strength. If you open both scrolls of Heaven and Earth, dangerous paths turn into safe ones. This is the secret of "X". It will lead you on your way.' Sandaime Hokage," Naruto said. All three of them were confused as Naruto pulled out both of the scrolls. Sasuke started to speak as he thought of something.

"Maybe we have to open the scrolls," Sasuke said as Naruto handed the scrolls to Sakura and Sasuke.

They opened them in unison as Naruto's eyes widened. It was a complicated seal pattern, but it was still a seal. In the center, there was the kanji symbol for "human" or "person". His teammates noticed this at the same time he did and they threw the scrolls to form an X-shape. The center of the X-shape started to bulge and a puff of smoke appeared. Naruto was surprised as he saw a familiar silhouette appear inside the smoke. As the smoke cleared, they were relieved to see that it wasn't an enemy. In fact, it was the direct opposite of their enemy.

"What are you doing here, Iruka-sensei?" Sakura asked as Naruto gave off a wide smile.

"Well, I'm here because I was assigned to do so. I'm glad you guys made it though. You guys also have a day to rest up before we explain the next part so you're at an advantage. Congratulations for passing the Second Exam of the Chûnin exam. I would treat you guys to ramen at Ichiraku's but…"

"Ramen, yay!" Naruto shouted as he jumped onto Iruka's abdomen as Sakura and Sasuke slumped onto the ground, exhausted.

"Hey, Naruto; let me finish. I still have to tell you something."

Naruto got off of Iruka to start dancing around the room as Sakura and Sasuke looked in surprise.

"Damn, what a stamina freak," Sasuke said. Sakura could only nod as Iruka laughed at Naruto's antics. Naruto eventually calmed down enough for Iruka to give them the rest of his message.

"Now, Iruka-sensei; what do you have to say before we get some ramen?"

Iruka laughed before he pointed to the large scroll at the end of the room. Naruto looked at the scroll again before thinking of a question.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei, what does the stuff on that scroll mean? We can't understand one bit of it."

"You see, that's what I have to explain. It's simple really. Heavenly qualities are qualities of the mind, such as wisdom and knowledge. If you lack those, like Naruto once did, you must study and gain such qualities."

Naruto scowled with a hidden smile as Sakura snickered. Iruka continued.

"Earthly qualities are qualities of the body, such as strength and endurance. If you lack those, like Sakura, this says to gain such qualities by training and honing your abilities."

Sakura looked sheepish as Iruka translated the last part.

"If you have both sets of qualities, you will be able to do anything, no matter how dangerous."

Sakura looked up at the scroll again to notice the blank area.

"But, Iruka-sensei, what about that blank space?"

"That, Sakura, is the symbol that symbolizes a chûnin. The symbol that was in the middle of this summoning scroll is your answer; the symbol for "human". In the last exam, you were tested on your ability to both complete a mission and your ability to survive in dangerous terrain. Even through this dangerous exam, you've passed. A chûnin is a commander class. He or she must be able to lead a team through rough conditions. A chûnin must have both knowledge and strength to succeed. Remember that as you progress forward. That is all I was ordered to tell you."

Iruka smiled as Naruto restarted his cheering as Sakura and Sasuke formed sweat-drops on the back of their heads. Iruka then led them to the back of the tower where they saw the rest of the genin that passed the test. They waited patiently as they rested for the day ahead.

(The next day)

Naruto was confused. It was good being able to sleep that night, but something was bugging him. Sasuke kept fidgeting every so often while clutching his neck. Naruto knew that this had something to do with that "bruise" that they were talking about during the second exam, but Naruto couldn't ask anything. The topic never came up after Team 7 arrived at the tower, though they could have talked about it while he wasn't there. Naruto did spend the previous day perfecting his new technique, and he was itching to try it out in whatever stupid thing they come up with in the next test of the Chûnin Exams. Even within the everlasting joy of perfecting a self-made technique, Naruto was perplexed at the effects of the "bruise".

Naruto started to travel with his team to the area where the next test was to be explained. He reached the area and stood in position with the rest of the genin who seemed to be standing in rows of three, divided by teams. Naruto quickly claimed the front spot, earning a small growl from Sakura. She was unable to pound his head in since Anko began to speak with a wireless microphone.

"I would like to say congratulations to all of you for passing the 2nd phase of the Chûnin exam."

Anko began to think as small discussions broke out among the genin.

"_21 people out of the total 78 people passed? When I said that I would cut their numbers in half, I was really thinking a single digit number."_

Meanwhile, Ino's team spoke in a whisper.

"I'm hungry," Chouji said.

"Excellent; Sasuke-kun made it!" Ino said enthusiastically.

"Of course they did; if they didn't, our efforts would have gone to waste," Shikamaru said in response.

Naruto could hear a conversation from the jônin in front of them, specifically Kakashi and Gai.

"Your students made it; didn't they, Kakashi. But, since my team's here, they will most likely be eliminated. Personal skill will be tested in the next test and your students probably made it by luck. Youth can be bittersweet and strict sometimes."

Kakashi didn't seem to hear his statement. In fact, Kakashi really didn't.

"Hmm, did you say something?"

Gai screamed at Kakashi's antics as he mentally cursed Kakashi's "hip-ness".

Naruto spoke to his team since nobody seemed to be paying attention.

"Hey, the entire Rookie Nine are here! Also, Hokage-oji-san and Iruka-sensei are here, too. It feels like everyone important is collected in one place!"

"Yeah, sure Naruto; but I have a bad feeling about it."

As soon as Sasuke finished, Naruto faced forward since Anko was speaking again.

"Now, we will hear an explanation of the next test from Hokage-sama! Everyone listen to his words carefully! Hokage-sama, will you do the honors?"

Sandaime Hokage Sarutobi stepped forward as he spoke to the genin.

"Firstly, I would like to congratulate all of you for making it this far! Now, before I describe the 3rd exam, I would like to make something clear. Do not be confused when we say that this exam is to promote healthy relationships between the allied nations. There is a true purpose."

Naruto held a look of confusion as he started to think. _"What does he mean about "a true purpose"?"_

The Sandaime continued shortly after seeing many confused looks from the genin.

"The Chûnin exams are a replacement for war between the allied nations. At first, the neighboring villages would constantly attack each other, creating a waste of military power. Then the nations decided to put a stop to that by determining a set place and time to fight one another. That is the beginning of the first Chûnin exam."

"Wait; does that mean that this exam is not for the purpose of promoting genin to chûnin?"

"Actually, the exam does give proof to whether or not a person is truly worthy of having the title "chûnin". However, this is also a place where ninja fight people and carry on their village's dignity. In the third exam, feudal lords and famous people will be watching your battles and examining your strength. These people are potential clients that watch to see where the best country to send their requests to is. If there is a significant power difference, the strong country will be showered in requests. If a country is seen as weak, there will be a loss of jobs. At the same time, the villages have the opportunity to show how their country has grown in military status. If nothing else, the villages can put foreign pressure on each other."

At this point, Kiba spoke up. "Why do we fight here if we could lose our lives!"

The Hokage spoke to answer that question.

"The country's strength is the village's strength. The village's strength is based on the strength of each of the ninjas within it. Also, a ninja's true power comes from a life-or-death struggle. The ninjas before have participated in this exam to maintain the pride of your respective countries so you must as well to maintain your country's honor and to maintain your own dreams and ambitions!"

Tenten spoke up next with a question that was pulling on everyone's curiosity.

"But, why do you say it is to maintain good relations with the allied countries?"

"I said to not be confused about that. Fighting in life-or-death battles and eliminating life to maintain balance is the very core of good relations in the shinobi world! Now, I can explain the 3rd exam."

At this point, the genin present immediately saw a jônin in front of them. The jônin spoke to the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama; can I, Gekkô Hayate, have the honor of explaining the next round?"

"Please do, thank you Hayate."

Hayate then turned to the crowd of genin and started to speak.

"Now, before we proceed to the 3rd phase of the exam, (cough) I (cough) need you guys to do something."

Hayate started to have what appeared to be a coughing fit after he finished speaking. Nobody moved since they were all looking in confusion. He began to speak with coughs every so often.

"Now, we need to hold a preliminary exam to see who will proceed to the main event."

Shouts of protest erupted from a few people in the crowd as some people looked downtrodden.

"That's not fair! What do you mean!" Shikamaru shouted uncharacteristically.

Sakura spoke calmly from the back. "But, Hayate-sensei, I don't understand. Why is it that not everyone present is allowed to participate in the finals?"

"As Sandaime-sama said, there will be feudal lords watching your actions in the final round. We may exceed our time limit if everyone present is allowed to participate. So, if you are not up to the task…"

Hayate coughed violently a few times before going into a large coughing fit. Naruto thought one thing.

"_Damn, are you up to the task!"_

"Excuse me," Hayate continued, "Those who wish to quit after this explanation can step forward since we will be starting the preliminaries immediately. By the way, as of now, you are able to make your own individual decisions. Your team will not be affected by your departure."

Shouts of protests erupted from the group again.

"We just passed the second round!"

"What do you mean, immediately!"

"What about eating!"

"Immediately; what are you talking about!"

"This is so troublesome."

"I'm out."

Everybody's protests were interrupted as a genin stepped forward. Naruto turned his head to see and saw Kabuto stepping forward, raising his hand. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he grew even more suspicious of the Konoha genin.

"_He's quitting? What's going on? Does he want to fail? He did take it 6 times already. If he quits now, this will be his 7th failure. Something is very fishy here."_

Naruto watched as Hayate dismissed Kabuto. Kabuto smirked as he turned his back. Not many people noticed, but Naruto did. This little fact only made Naruto even more suspicious.

"_If he was tired or something, he would have looked relieved. He looks almost happy to leave. Also, that smirk tells me that he's up to something. What's his story?"_

Naruto warped back into reality as he heard Sakura's voice.

"Please Sasuke-kun, withdraw from the match. You are in no condition to fight. That mark still hurts, right? If you don't do it yourself, then I'll do it for you," Sakura said as she started to raise her hand. Sasuke stopped her hand before it was visible to Hayate and spoke to Sakura.

"Sakura, shut up about the mark! This is not your concern so stay out of it! I told you before; I'm an avenger. The "chûnin" title means nothing to me. I only wish to answer one question. "Am I strong?" This is a perfect opportunity because there are many people who are truly powerful. If you deny me this opportunity, I won't forgive even you."

Sakura looked like she would break down at a small breeze. Naruto had heard enough.

"You idiot; don't you see that Sakura-san is trying to help you? She worried about you, you bastard!" Naruto shouted.

"_Seriously, even if he is hiding something from me, I do like the concern he showed back in the battle with the Sound ninjas. Now, he's just being selfish!"_

"Naruto, you are one of the people I wish to fight," Sasuke said as a response. Naruto was shocked. He expected an insult or something, not this kind of statement.

Hayate started to speak again, seeing that nobody was raising their hands or stepping forward.

"Since nobody else is quitting, I'll proceed. Since there's an even number, there will be 10 one-on-one battles and the victors will proceed forward to the final round. There are virtually no rules. The fight will progress until one of the contenders die, is knocked out, or admits defeat. Also, since we don't want to have unnecessary dead bodies, I will step in when a victor is decided. My ruling is absolute so when I say it's over, it's over. The matches will be chosen randomly with this electronic scoreboard."

Hayate coughed again as a digital television of some sort appeared in the upper left area of the room.

"Now that we're ready, let's select the first two to fight."

At that point, the board started to randomly shuffle the names. The genin waited in anticipation to see whether or not they have to fight immediately. The shuffling started to slow as the gazes of the genin intensified. The shuffling stopped suddenly and landed on two names separated by the word "vs."

"Akadô Yoroi and Uchiha Sasuke; stay down here as the rest of you go up into the safety of the upper area. Are you two ready?"

The two contestants gave sounds to the affirmative as Hayate watched the other genin and jônin go to the upper area. Team 7 lingered behind as Kakashi caught up to them. Kakashi paused next to Sasuke and started to speak.

"Sasuke, don't use the Sharingan. If you misuse your chakra while that seal is active, the results will change your life."

Sasuke smirked as he responded. "So, you noticed. I figured that already. When I tried to use my Sharingan earlier today, I felt a pain in my neck where that snake bastard got me."

"Good, so you understand. If I see the curse mark activate, I will suspend the match."

As Team 7 walked upward without Sasuke, he had a frightened look. Sasuke thought as he faced his foe.

"_Now, how should I do this? Not only am I restricted from using the Sharingan, I am restricted from using any chakra in my normal arts. I'm quite a dilemma, here," _Sasuke thought as he prepared for battle.

He felt a tinge of pain in his shoulder as he stared down his foe. The stupid curse seal was acting up and Sasuke visibly shook in pain. Sasuke could see his opponent smug facial expression as Hayate spoke.

"Now then, if you're ready, let the first match (cough) begin!"

Yoroi immediately brought his hands into the Tora (Tiger) seal and his hand started to glow blue. Yoroi threw three shuriken and they were blocked by a kunai from Sasuke.

Sasuke felt another wave of pain erupt from his shoulder as he fell to the ground. Yoroi charged and attempted to punch Sasuke as he lay on the ground. Sasuke quickly rolled over, dodging the attack while he pinned his kunai into the ground. Using the kunai as a focal point, Sasuke spun around and wrapped his legs around one of Yoroi's sending him to the ground. Sasuke grabbed Yoroi's arm and held Yoroi in a lock as Yoroi struggled to free himself. The hand that Sasuke was holding started to glow blue as Sasuke felt himself getting weaker.

"_What the hell; I loosing my grip! My muscles are getting tired. What's happening?"_

Sasuke was then punched in the chest with the arm he was holding and Yoroi jumped away. Sasuke was left on the ground as he thought about what just happened.

"_How did he do that? He only grabbed my body and then…"_

Sasuke was ripped from his thoughts as Yoroi lunged forward. Unable to move, Sasuke was hit in the head by Yoroi's hand and he was pinned to the ground. The siphoning feeling began again as Sasuke realized what was happening.

"You… You're feeding … on my chakra!"

"So, you noticed." Yoroi said smugly as Sasuke struggled weakly.

Sasuke stopped moving for a few seconds as Yoroi sucked up his chakra. Sasuke's arms fell limply to his sides as the energy was siphoned out of them.

"_Focus, Sasuke; you need to divert your energy to do something to get this freak off of me! Now, before it's too late…"_

Sasuke spoke as he kicked Yoroi across the battle area. Sasuke stood unsteadily.

"You bastard; I'm going to make you pay for that."

"How exactly do you plan to do that, Sasuke-kun? Just relax; I'll finish this soon."

Yoroi's hand glowed blue as Sasuke prepared for the assault. Sasuke whipped back and forth, dodging the glowing hand by mere inches each time. Unsteadily, Sasuke moved out of Yoroi's range as Naruto decided to speak.

"Sasuke; do you call yourself an Uchiha! This is pathetic! Is this the best you can do!"

Sasuke looked upward to Naruto's position and ignored the outburst. He was interested, however, in the green person beside him as Sasuke developed an idea.

"_That's it! I can use tat in this battle! If I can't use my Sharingan, I can use something that I already learned by using it before! This is perfect! Now, I need to get into position."_

Sasuke looked forward to see Yoroi charging towards him, his hand blue and glowing Sasuke dodged a few more attacks before disappearing.

Yoroi looked around in confusion before having a foot rudely hitting his chin. Yoroi flew through the air as Sasuke landed on the ground and jumped upward disappearing. He reappeared underneath Yoroi, who regarded his shadow with a shocked glance.

In the upper level, Lee and Gai looked astonished. The technique that was just used was obviously the Kagebuyô that is used right before the Renge technique.

"_Did he copy it when I used it on him before the first exam? How can he copy it so perfectly after only seeing it one time?" _Lee thought as he watched Sasuke's actions.

"_That's Fuzzy Brow's…" _Naruto thought.

Sasuke spoke from underneath Yoroi as they flew through the air.

"Now, I'll limit myself to my own talents. It's over."

Sasuke felt a sharp pain on his shoulder at that moment. Sasuke coughed some blood due to the pain of the mark. It felt like someone was shoving a spike through his shoulder while his upper body was being drenched in acid.

"_Could it have chosen a worse time? I'm in the middle of something here!"_

The spectators watched as Sasuke's face was covered in black marks. Anko and Kakashi were specifically on guard as the marks spread. Sasuke struggled as he flew through the air.

"_I…am…not…going to let…this thing…control me!" _Sasuke thought as he resisted the feel of the mark.

The spectators that knew about the mark were amazed or relieved at the curse seal's recession. Anko in particular was just surprised.

"_He resisted it with the force of his will? That shouldn't be possible!"_

"It's over," Sasuke said again as he focused on his opponent. He started his attack with a kick with his left leg. Yoroi saw this coming and he blocked it with his arm.

"That's not enough, you amateur."

"Amateur, indeed," Kakashi muttered as Sasuke continued.

Spinning around in the air, Sasuke backhanded Yoroi in the neck with his left arm. Sasuke then turned around as Yoroi fell to the ground. Sasuke focused his weight and slammed Yoroi in the neck with his right forearm. As the two contenders approached the ground Sasuke allowed his arm's momentum to flip him as he extended his left leg.

"I'm not done yet!" Sasuke shouted as he applied force to his flip. Sasuke's left leg made contact with Yoroi's abdomen as he hit the ground. Yoroi bent his body in pain as his body made contact with two opposing forces; the floor and Sasuke's foot.

"Shishirendan!"

As Yoroi coughed blood from the impact, the force from the blow caused Sasuke to fly off of Yoroi's body, only to land on the floor. Sasuke's body started dragging along the floor and stopped about 10 feet away from Yoroi's body. Sasuke seemed to collapse as he lumped on the floor. Hayate, watching the battle closely, checked on Yoroi's body.

"I don't even need to look. He's out cold," Hayate said as he looked up and smiled.

Sasuke was getting up unsteadily as he recovered from his own technique. Hayate knew this battle was over.

"I'm ending this match before it goes any further. Uchiha Sasuke is the winner of the first round."

Sasuke assumed a sitting position as the match ended. He could only hear Naruto's degrading shouts as the adrenaline rush wore off.

"That was great, Sasuke, but you won in such a lame way! It looks like you're the one that's beat up!"

Sasuke started to fall back as he responded.

"Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke said as he fell backwards and felt a support on his back. Sasuke looked back and saw Kakashi reading his perverted books and supporting Sasuke's back with his leg.

"_So, the moves preceding the Shishirendan are derived from Gai's fighting style, huh? It's incredible that he's coming into the full bloom of the Sharingan this early," _Kakashi thought as he looked at Sasuke's tired form. Sasuke was currently panting while glaring at Naruto.

The medical team was currently picking up Yoroi's unconscious body for treatment when one of them approached Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke, we need to bring you into the medical ward as well."

"That won't be necessary," Kakashi interrupted, "I'll take care of him."

Kakashi then knelt down to Sasuke's level and spoke so nobody else could hear. "Come with me to the back and I'll seal away that curse mark."

Sasuke whipped his head upward and started to protest.

"Can't it wait? I want to watch the rest of the preliminaries!"

"No, Sasuke, if you allow that seal to run rampant, it will ruin your life. I let you have your way before, and it has only made you selfish. I will not take "no" for an answer."

Sasuke reluctantly followed Kakashi out of the area as the next match was being selected. Sasuke only caught the names of the contenders before he exited the room.

"Aburame Shino vs. Zaku Abumi"

(In the arena)

"Aburame Shino (Cough) and Zaku Abumi (Cough) step forward, please."

Nsruto thought as he looked down at the two contenders.

"_That Zaku character is toast. Shino's going to blow him away. Anyone here can see that since his arms were destroyed by Sasuke in our last battle."_

Meanwhile, Team 8 was discussing the variable safety of their teammate.

"D-do you t-think that S-Shino-kun will be okay?" Hinata asked.

"He'll be fine, Hinata. He's strong. In fact, he's one of the people I don't want to fight," Kiba said in response as the fight began.

The people above could see that the ninja called Zaku had his arms in a sling, suggesting that they had been broken not so long ago. They could also see the other person, Shino, staring impassively through his dark sunglasses. Hayate saw that the two were ready and he then started the match.

"The second match (cough) of the preliminaries begins (cough) now."

Zaku spoke as he unsteadily moved his left arm upward. Naruto noticed something immediately.

"_That arm doesn't look broken to me. In fact, by the look of how Sasuke broke it, I would say it shouldn't be healed at all! Does that mean that somebody on his team knows medical techniques?" _Naruto thought as Zaku charged towards Shino.

"I only need one arm to beat you!" Zaku shouted as he attempted to swat Shino in the head. Shino only brought his right arm to block the attack.

"You're going to need more than that. If you continue to fight me, you won't be able to fight again," Shino said in response.

"Zaku looked annoyed as he spoke. "Shut up, you bastard! Take this! Zankûha!"

Shino was caught by surprise by the wind and was blown away. A cloud of dust and smoke appeared from the blast. Shino fell to the ground as Zaku smirked.

"Get up," Zaku said as he watched the silhouette of his opponent slowly and steadily rise from the smoke. Zaku was disgusted at the scene before him as the dust cleared.

Shino was producing bugs. He didn't use a summoning technique. He didn't use a container. The bugs came from underneath his skin. Before Zaku knew it, he was surrounded. A swarm of bugs approached him from behind and drew closer as Shino spoke.

"These bugs are called Kikaichu. They are a parasitic species of bug and they feed on chakra. If I unleash this swarm upon you, you will surely die. Now, for you dilemma; if you attack me with your left hand attack, my swarm will attack your exposed backside. If you attack my swarm, you're leaving an opening for me to exploit. You should always have a trump card."

Zaku became annoyed as he heard Shino's words, quickly drawing his other arm from the sling. He pointed his left arm towards Shino as he pointed his right arm towards the swarm. Shino began to think as he started to charge his attack.

"_Well, I thought that that other arm was still mobile. That sling is also unnecessary since I know those arms are perfectly fine. That doesn't matter, though."_

Meanwhile, Naruto thought as he looked at the fight carefully.

"_I knew it; he had his arms healed and now they're as good as new! If I know Shino well enough, he probably prepared for that. Like I said earlier, Zaku is toast."_

Zaku started to speak overconfidently as he smirked towards Shino. "You should always have a trump card, huh? How's this! Zankûha!"

As he tried to release the technique, however, Zaku felt something wrong. For some reason, he could feel his chakra escaping short of the hole in his palms. He looked to each of his arms to see that chakra-charged air was escaping through… his arm, near the elbow. Zaku screamed in agony as the pressure inside his arm increased. The pressure then overpowered Zaku's arms as a large burst of chakra erupted from both sides. His right arm ended up on the floor as Zaku looked in horror. His palms were filled with bugs!

Zaku was brought back to reality by means of Shino's voice. "When I was informing you with my helpful advice, I ordered my bugs to plug up the weak points in your body, namely, your wind holes. That is a true trump card."

Zaku grew enraged at Shino as he swung his left arm towards Shino. Reacting quickly, Shino dodged the arm and delivered a punch to Zaku's face, incapacitating him.

"The winner of the second round is Aburame Shino," Hayate said as the medical corps came to take away Zaku's body. Shino did not escape the eyes of the curious shinobi, including but not limited to, Neji, Lee, Ino, Chouji and Kin.

(Meanwhile)

In the back room, Sasuke was sitting on the floor, surrounded by two circles etched into the ground with kunai. The kunai were sticking out of strategic points in the floor. Kakashi was busy behind Sasuke with a cut hand was he wrote symbol after symbol. The symbols, either Japanese symbols or runes were spread out in straight lines, originating from Sasuke's curse seal. In fact, the symbols were spread around Sasuke in six directions with each line of symbols equidistant from each other. Some of the lines were long enough to exceed the floor space so Kakashi placed the symbols on the pillars or walls that prevented him from using the floor

"I'm almost finished, Sasuke. You need to hold on for a little while longer," Kakashi said as he wrote the last seal. Kakashi then performed a number of hand-seals and placed his hand on the curse seal while saying the name of the technique.

"Fûja Hôin!"

Sasuke felt a sharp pain since the technique felt like boiling acid was being poured into his shoulder as long as Kakashi's hand stayed on it. He screamed in agony as the sealing commenced and fell to the ground as soon as Kakashi lifted his hand. Kakashi started to speak as Sasuke panted on the floor.

"Now, if that curse seal activates, this Fûja Hôin should suppress it. This technique is dependant on your will Sasuke so if your will falters even slightly, the seal will break free."

This was last thing Sasuke heard before he fell unconscious.

Kakashi chuckled as Sasuke fainted from the strain. This little humorous moment was interrupted as Kakashi felt a dark force enter the room.

"So, Kakashi, you've mastered the art of sealing, I take it?" a voice asked before a figure stepped into the light.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-kun," the figure said as Kakashi's eyes widened in recognition, "I didn't come to play with you."

"Why are you here, Orochimaru?"

"You know why. Two people have something and a third must have it. You see, I've come for Sasuke-kun."

"Why?" Kakashi asked as Orochimaru chuckled evilly.

"Because I wish to fulfill my ambition and Sasuke-kun can help me. I want Uchiha blood."

Orochimaru stepped forward towards Sasuke as Kakashi clutched his right arm. A large blue orb with crackling lightning appeared in Kakashi's hand as he spoke.

"Do not come any closer. Even of you are one of those three ninja, I will kill you if necessary!"

"Well, Kakashi-kun, it seems your seal is futile. Sasuke-kun carries a will that can be influenced by light or darkness and as long as his goal is reached, the end justifies the means. He has the soul of an avenger and he will seek me for power."

Orochimaru walked away as Kakashi released the Chidori. Right before Orochimaru left the room, he asked something.

"By the way, how exactly did you intend to kill me?"

Kakashi immediately felt a wave of fear as Orochimaru left the room, chuckling evilly.

(In the arena)

Shino slowly walked up the stairs to the upper area as the contenders of the next fight were chosen. Naruto blanked out as he let his mask take over, making his presence more defined due to his loudness. Meanwhile, inside his mind, he was thinking about what he could use in his own battle against each of the genin if he was matched with each of them. The following battles ensued. Some of them were quick and uneventful; some of them were just repetitive.

Kabuto's teammate Tsurugi Misumi fought against Kankuro and Kankuro won by using a puppet to break Misumi's bones. This battle was quick and somewhat boring, but Naruto found out what Kankuro's ninja art is during that battle.

Ino went against Sakura in which they were evenly matched. Ino attempted to use her Shintenshin no Jutsu to make Sakura surrender, but Naruto's little façade took over and shouted at Sakura, getting her attention and making Ino pull out. They both ended it with two identical punches, causing a tie. Shikamaru sighed in relief nearby as the match was determined to be a tie. Naruto was somewhat impressed by Sakura's seriousness in the battle, but it was drawn out and predictable.

A girl from the Sand named Temari went against Tenten. Tenten put up a great fight with her weaponry, but she was no match for Temari's fan and she lost. Naruto found this somewhat interesting since Tenten seemed to use weapons which came out of nowhere from her scrolls.

The Sound girl, Kin, went against Shikamaru, who complained that he was fighting a girl. Shikamaru used little effort to make Kin give herself a concussion on the wall, allowing Shinkamaru to win. Naruto found this really boring, yet he laughed at the laziness Shikamaru showed during the battle.

After these battles Naruto was ripped back into reality when the board showed two specific names.

"Inuzuka Kiba vs. Uzumaki Naruto"

Naruto could hear Kiba's confident screams as he dashed down the stairs.

"Man, are we lucky! We could definitely beat this guy, right Akamaru!"

Naruto smirked as he heard this as he went down the stairs to prove him wrong the hard way. As he approached the center of the arena, Naruto could still hear Kiba's confident cries.

"Man, if we're fighting this guy, we might as well say that we've won, right Akamaru?"

Naruto heard a bark to the affirmative from the puppy in Kiba's shirt. Naruto got slightly annoyed since Kiba was obviously counting him out without knowing what he was capable of. Kiba continued his semi-rant as Naruto's patience wore thin.

"I mean, I know that you only know Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and…"

"Hey, Kiba; I was dead-last in the academy, but don't think I stayed the same since you saw me there," Naruto interrupted before he loudly proclaimed one of his hidden abilities. Kiba smirked as he took the puppy out of his shirt and placed him on the floor.

"Hey, Kiba; put the puppy away. It might get hurt when we fight."

"Are you kidding? Akamaru fights alongside me, right Akamaru?"

Another affirmative bark sounded as Naruto continued.

"Okay, that's fine by me. You'll need all the help you can get."

Kiba growled before facing his dog. "Akamaru, stay put for now. I'll handle this alone."

Naruto could see the doubtful glances around him after each of his phrases. Apparently, some people don't believe he could win.

Up in the balcony, a few people thought about Naruto's match.

"_I'm sorry, Naruto; even if you aren't bluffing, I have to say that Kiba will win this battle," _Kurenai thought.

"_Naruto, show us how much you have grown," _Kakashi thought.

"_Naruto, maybe you will finally show what you have been hiding," _Sakura thought as she shouted encouragements to Naruto.

"_Naruto-kun, please don't hurt Kiba-kun too badly," _Hinata thought.

Lee watched in anticipation as Naruto picked up a conversation.

"Kiba's lucky. Naruto can't win against him," Chouji said. Shikamaru started to speak in response.

"Don't underestimate Naruto. This match is too troublesome to predict since Naruto barely shows any of his abilities. If he is as strong as he says he is, Kiba's toast."

"Are you kidding, Shikamaru? Kiba's going to wipe the floor with Naruto," Ino said.

Naruto pulled his focus back to Kiba as he heard Kiba's voice.

"I'll pity you and end this with one blow."

"Naruto smirked in reply and spoke back. "Is that so? Well, I'm telling you now; you can't beat me."

Kiba scowled as he started to shout at Naruto.

"Stop looking tough, you idiot; you know you've lost so drop the act!"

As the two contenders stared at each other, Hayate spoke.

"So, if you're ready, please begin the 7th match."

Kiba immediately knelt down as Naruto focused. Kiba's body started to be surrounded in chakra. Naruto started to brace himself as Kiba charged forward. Naruto felt the blow less than 2 seconds later and he fell to the ground.

Naruto could hear Kiba's confident remark as he analyzed the blow.

"Examiner; he won't be getting up for a while."

Naruto also picked up a few statements from the balcony as he got up slowly as to not alert Kiba.

"Naruto-kun, that was really lame," Lee said.

"I know Naruto is stronger than that," Shikamaru said.

"I told you that he couldn't match Kiba," Ino stated.

(POV change)

Sakura looked down onto the field as she saw Naruto's motionless body. She faced Kakashi for a moment, drawing what looked like a smile across his features. She looked down as she saw Naruto get up.

"_I used to laugh at you whenever you said, 'I will be the Hokage.' Now, I'm positive that I was mistaken after what you did in the Forest of Death. You've convinced me; now, let everyone else know!"_

Sakura smiled as she saw Naruto get up slowly. Kiba turned to see Naruto standing, ready to fight. Sakura could see he eyes and they were serious.

"Don't underestimate me. You will regret it," he said as Kiba looked on in amazement.

"Go, Naruto!" she yelled.

(POV change)

"So, you're saying that while you're bleeding in the mouth! I told you to drop the act!" Kiba shouted as Naruto smiled wide.

"I let you hit me to test your strength. Your Shiyaku no Jutsu really improved since Wave Country, Kiba. It's faster now and it packs a bigger punch. However, that is far from enough to stop me! Go ahead and use your doggy there; I'll still kick your butt!" Naruto said as Kiba charged again. Naruto looked closely at Kiba's hand to see two purple spheres.

"_Are those smoke bombs?" _Naruto thought as Kiba threw the orbs, making a small smokescreen around him.

"_Stay calm, Naruto; Kiba can attack from anywhere and you need to think fast. Now, what can I do?" _Naruto thought as he looked out for Kiba's punches. Naruto carried a smirk as he thought of something.

From the outside, the spectators could see a large purple smoke cloud as Akamaru stood outside, growling and standing on guard. Suddenly, Naruto burst out of the smoke, only to be tackled by Akamaru. The spectators heard a confident, "You fell for it," within the smoke as Kiba jumped out. As the smoke cleared, they saw a disappointing sight. Akamaru was sitting calmly next to Naruto's body. Akamaru ran forward, seemingly rushing to his master when, suddenly, Akamaru bit Kiba's arm, shocking the hell out of both the spectators and Kiba himself.

"Akamaru, why?" Kiba asked as Akamaru gave a sly smile. Kiba heard a voice as Akamaru was replaced with Naruto.

"You fell for it!" Naruto stated as Kiba shook him off.

"You bastard; you couldn't even use Henge no Jutsu in the academy! Get off!"

Naruto released his hold on Kiba's arm and staggered back slightly. As he regained his composure, Naruto started to taste something REALLY bad.

"Yuck; you taste like dog, you know that?"

"Wait; where's Akamaru?"

"He's over here," a voice said. Kiba looked towards the voice to see another Naruto holding Akamaru by his front paws. Akamaru gave out a little whine as Kiba cursed under his breath.

"So, you've gotten a little stronger since the academy, have you? Well, that doesn't matter because I'm serious now," Kiba stated. He then took a deep breath as he dug within his weapons pouch.

"Is that so? Well, I'm telling you that you can't win against me," Naruto said in response.

Kiba calmly pulled a small pellet out of his weapons pouch as Kiba opened his eyes. Naruto looked onward in confusion as Kiba spoke.

"Naruto, I'll be taking Akamaru now, if you don't mind."

Naruto then saw Kiba flick the pellet, sending it towards Akamaru. The clone reverted into a puff of smoke as Akamaru jumped back towards Kiba. His fur was now red and it seemed that Akamaru was more vicious.

"His fur… turned red?" Naruto asked in confusion as he watched the dog closely. Naruto shifted his attention to Kiba, who was popping a pellet into his own mouth. Kiba smirked as he spoke.

"That's why he's named Akamaru. It's over now. Akamaru, let's go!"

Akamaru hopped on Kiba's back as Kiba formed a seal. Akamaru barked in time with his master as they performed a technique.

"Jinjû Ninpou: Jûjin Bunshin!"

Akamaru, on Kiba's back, started to transform. His front paws turned into hands; his rear paws turned into legs; Akamaru's face changed into Kiba's. Kiba's body, on the bottom, was being surrounded with chakra as they stared evilly at Naruto.

"Hey, is that legal? They took some weird medicine." Naruto asked Hayate as the transformation completed.

"Yes, Hyorogan are ninja tools, like kunai and shuriken."

"I see," Naruto replied as he dropped into a stance, "I guess I have to improvise, huh?"

"_Hyorogan, huh; this is going to be trouble since Kiba's and Akamaru's chakras are probably through the roof right now. I wonder how I should do this," _Naruto thought as the two Kibas growled in front of him.

"Well then, let's get started; Shiyaku no Jutsu!"

Naruto dodged the attacks as Kiba and Akamaru crashed into the ground. The two charged again as Naruto thought.

"_He barely missed that time. He's gotten faster since he ate that Hyorogan. I'm in trouble here. Even if I focus my chakra into my feet, I only have a split-second opening. I can't work that fast!" _Naruto thought as he jumped in the air to avoid another twin attack. Kiba looked up and started to charge again. This time, however, Kiba ran differently somehow.

"There's an opening." Naruto heard Kiba say before the twin Kibas charged forward and extended their arms. As soon as they finished extending their arms, the Kibas started to yell in unison.

"Take this; Jûjin Taijutsu no Ôgi: Gatsûga!"

Naruto landed as he saw two gray drills heading towards him. Unable to dodge, Naruto braced for impact. Naruto was hit hard by both of them and his guard was instantly shattered. Naruto flew through the air and landed on the ground, bleeding as Kiba began to brag.

"That's the difference between our abilities, Naruto. You can't even move enough to use that…"

"I can't… lose here. I will… become… the Hokage," Naruto interrupted. Kiba scoffed and restarted his taunts.

"You want to become the Hokage when you're weaker than me? I'll tell you what; I'll become a Hokage for you!" Kiba said spitefully as Naruto twitched at the thought. Kiba then started to laugh at Naruto's expense. Kiba continued. "You really don't think you can become Hokage, huh Naruto? I've said it before. Stop acting tough!" Kiba then restarted his laughter.

Meanwhile, up in the balcony, Hinata was contradicting Kiba's words.

"_You're wrong, Kiba-kun. Naruto-kun is stronger than you think. He believes in himself and his self-worth, unlike me. I've always thought that was incredible because I know how difficult that is. I understand because I know he's always alone. Nobody would look at the real Naruto, thus he ceased to show it. Nobody would acknowledge the true person that he keeps locked away. Now, however, everyone is watching!"_

Naruto unsteadily got up and thought as he saw Kiba's surprised face.

"_So, that bastard wants to compete with me for the Hokage title, huh? Well, I'll show him who he's up against."_

"If you try to compete with me for the title of Hokage," Naruto started, "I'll whip you like the dog that you are," Naruto finished coldly.

Kiba started to speak snobbishly as he pointed at Naruto.

"Don't you give it a rest!" Kiba asked as Naruto continued to smirk. Kiba only got annoyed. "Fine, Naruto, I'll make it so you won't walk again!"

Akamaru and Kiba charged forward as Naruto quickly made three seals, Ushi, Saru and Hitsuji. Kiba noticed these and launched the Gatsûga again. Naruto jumped into the air as Kiba and Akamaru rushed towards him in the forms of large gray drills. Just as the attacks were about to hit, Naruto thrust his hands forward and blew himself away just in time. Naruto landed just as Kiba and Akamaru did and he turned around just in time to see Kiba and Akamaru charging towards him once again. Two more purple spheres were thrown, creating a smokescreen around Naruto as the Kibas performed Gatsûga around the smokescreen. Inside, Naruto was thinking of a plan.

"_Okay, Naruto; stay calm. Do what you did last time and avoid that stupid drill technique. Now, let's kick this up a little bit."_

Kiba and Akamaru jumped out as the smoke cleared, revealing Naruto kneeling down and wiping blood and sweat from his brow. Naruto stood; this time, however, Kiba noticed a sword in his right hand.

"You don't give up, do you?"

"It doesn't matter. There could be five or six of you and I can still kick your butt into next week," Naruto said, clutching his blade with both of his hands.

Hayate noticed immediately and started to analyze Naruto.

"_That stance is atrocious! He can't defend himself with such weak footing! Also, that sword doesn't look too strong. One of those attacks from that Kiba kid and that thing's going to shatter like fine china! What is he thinking?"_

Kiba spoke as he charged forward. "All you do is talk. I'll end this with the next one."

Two more purple spheres were thrown as Naruto prepared to defend himself. The smoke consumed him as Naruto started to focus.

"_Now, all I need to do is get my body airborne and I can damage him. I need to be careful though." _

Naruto plunged his sword into the ground and jumped onto the hilt, dodging another attack by Kiba. Naruto then used the hilt as footing to jump into the air while focusing chakra. The spectators saw Naruto fly into the air as he used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to create about 10 clones in the air. The clones started to fall as Naruto's real body looked for a safe place to land.

Naruto touched the ground as the Kibas started to rush him. Naruto stayed still as the Naruto clones fell on the backs of both of them, slamming them into the ground. Kiba growled at Naruto as Akamaru changed back into his puppy form. Each of them had 5 Naruto clones on top of them. Naruto walked up to Kiba and started to explain.

"You should know the weaknesses of your own techniques. If you don't, people can exploit them easily. For example, your Gatsûga attack may cause a lot of damage, but it only causes major damage if you make contact with the front end of your attack. That is why you can control the direction of your movements, even if you are spinning at a high rate of speed. Since your attack doesn't cause as much damage on the side, I was able to exploit that weakness by applying the laws of gravity. You see, the damage from the side is so minimal; my clones haven't disappeared from the impact. You should probably get your dog checked. With his size, I could have broken something when he changed back."

Naruto turned as he started to think. He walked ten feet away and turned around.

"He will get up in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…" Naruto said.

As predicted, Kiba charged his body with chakra and flung all of the clones away. Kiba then attacked the clones holding Akamaru down and retrieved his puppy. He was alive, but apparently, he broke a leg bone. Kiba started to think as he looked at his dog.

"_Calm down; he can't keep up with my movements so I can still win. Now, all I need to do is get behind him and I can strike back!"_

Kiba looked at Naruto and bit his hand enough to draw blood. Focusing on the pain, Kiba calmed down enough to draw some shuriken.

Naruto, next to his sword started to speak. "So, are you finally getting serious? That's good; I have a special new technique to test out."

Kiba charged forward and started to throw his shuriken. "I don't know what you're up to, but I won't let you use that "special technique" of yours!"

Naruto immediately took his sword and blocked them all. Naruto looked forward to see Kiba closing in at high speed, obviously under the effects of Shiyaku no Jutsu. Naruto was hit by the attack, sending him flying across the arena. Naruto dropped his sword halfway as Kiba closed in for another attack. Naruto dodged his attacks with great difficulty and Kiba kept up his relentless attack. When he finally got a good shot at Naruto, he took it. Naruto was hit dead on and he flew for around 10 feet before disappearing.

"You know, it's too late to say that you're going to stop my technique," a voice said as Kiba looked for the source. As soon as he looked towards it, all he saw was air.

"It has already begun, U…" a voice said behind him as something punched him towards the source of the first voice. Kiba was able to look back for a second and saw Naruto smirking and another Naruto jumping into the air by launching off of the first Naruto's back. Kiba tried to recover as he was met with three more hits that seemed to come from nowhere.

"…Zu…Ma…Ki…" Kiba heard as he flew high into the air. Kiba was caught off guard as he felt a heel dig into his back, sending him towards the ground. A voice was heard from above as he felt the impact.

"Naruto Rendan!" Naruto said as he moved to land in front of Kiba. Naruto spoke to Kiba as he struggled to stand.

"I know; that technique was a total mockup of Sasuke-teme's Shishirendan, but that was not the technique I was talking about. I'm actually starting the technique now because I know that Naruto Rendan didn't end things."

Everyone present started to feel a large chakra surge as four clones started to surround Kiba. Each one started to perform identical seals, Ushi, Saru, Tatsu and Hitsuji. The real Naruto stepped back and smirked as the chakra surge grew. Naruto was about to release it when…

"I am stopping this match before it goes any further. By the potential power of that technique, I am assuming that it will ensure a fatal blow. The winner is Uzumaki Naruto," Hayate said.

Naruto scowled before stopping the technique. Kiba unsteadily got up and he was escorted to the medical facilities along with Akamaru. Naruto went back up into the balcony muttering something along the lines of:

"Damn it; I wanted to test that technique so bad, too."

(End Chapter)

Techniques:

Kagebuyô: Shadow of the Dancing Leaf

Renge: Lotus; you'll see this soon.

Shishirendan: Lion Combo

Hyorogan: Soldier pill (not a technique, I know)

Jinjû Ninpou: Jûjin Bunshin: Man-Beast Ninja Art: Beast Human Clone

Jûjin Taijutsu no Ôgi: Gatsûga: Man-Beast Ultimate Physical Technique: Piercing Fang

Uzumaki Naruto Rendan: Uzumaki Naruto Combo/Barrage

A/N: I didn't really like the beginning of this chapter, but I loved the end. Did you like the Naruto vs. Kiba fight? Please tell me! Also, please alert me of my mistakes if I make them. I'm not perfect. I'm still working on my stupid homework but I was tired of reading from a textbook so I typed this up. I hope you enjoy it! Posted 11:49, July 11, 2006.


	17. Chapter 16: Shinobi Way

A/N: Hello again; I'm getting really tired of homework so I'm typing up the next chapter. It's all about balance. Anyway, I'm really excited to see what I'll make for this story next. By the way, I've gotten over 200 reviews! YAY! Okay, that's enough from me; here are the review responses.

**Lonewarrior666: **I bet you do; I may have inadvertently caused a little suspense in that last part of the Naruto vs. Kiba fight.

**Dragon Man 180: **You know what; that's not a bad idea. I hope you don't mind if I use it. Also, I noticed the fact that Kakashi didn't use seals for the Raikiri/Chidori when he fights against Orochimaru. That means Sasuke-teme didn't master it! Sucker!

**Silver Warrior: **Yes, this is very fun! This is so much more interesting than textbooks. Do the publishers purposely make textbooks boring?

**Biggestboss: **I'm glad you like my story. I'm flattered by your compliments.

**Conan98002: **Really? I think that's a good thing. Did you have to read it again because it was confusing or did you just want to read it again?

**Clone Daniel: **I'm glad you liked the chapter. I agree, though; that technique would have kicked ass!

**Kyuubidaime: **You know; I planned those exact events in a certain way. You'll see when the Hinata vs. Neji fight is written.

**S-Wanderer999: **I'm glad you liked the chapter. About your idea, however, I think it's great! I'll use it if I can fit it in my story. Thanks for the suggestion.

**VFSNAKE: **Um, I don't know about that. You'll see. During the fight, however, I will strengthen their relationship.

**Anime-Boy07: **Narcolepsy is pretty annoying, if you ask me. There are times when a sleeping Ronald is really cute, though. I really hate having Naruto portrayed as a total idiot when he isn't.

**NarutoNineTails: **I'm glad you think so. I'll keep at it if you keep reading!

**Causeiambetta: **You know; he was. I explain what he did at the start of this chapter.

**Narut0-fan101: **Well, here it is.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **That was what I was going for. I have to admit, your version was pretty original yourself. Also, I hope you don't find anything too similar to your plans in my story. That would be so embarrassing.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you thought so. I thought it was pretty funny when I came up with it myself. I'm also glad you liked my Naruto vs. Kiba fight.

**Kitsu Maharu: **Thanks for bringing that up, but I already knew that. Some people who read this story don't know that, however. I'll stick to techniques and honorifics, if you don't mind. There may be a point where I use that, though. One more thing, does "cow" have a name?

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **Okay; I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Also, I am planning on using the attack in a later chapter, so don't worry, it won't be one of those unused techniques.

**XxEvilDivaxX: **No, no, I don't mind long reviews. I like reading. Also, I do enjoy the fact that you like the tweaking that I did. Some people can be real pricks, huh?

**Japanese of red dog: **Akamaru is a mixture of two Japanese terms. "Aka" means "red" and "-maru" is a general ending for boy's names. I hope that clears things up. Also, I could make one heck of a pun on your name, but I won't because it's probably cheesy.

**Armanstay: **I know, it is one hack of a cliffhanger, huh?

**Ecchi-Baka-Kon: **Nice name; anyway, I'm glad you liked my story and I know you loathe the fact that I just stopped it right before Naruto unleashed a kick-ass move. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

**Nielso: **Thanks! That means I know I'll get at least 1 review every chapter. This is great!

**Dragonzice: **I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Lord Purity: **Thanks.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **Yes, but it's not going to be next if that's what you mean.

**Takimaru: **Um, what is that translating?

**ShadowBack: **I really enjoy people who give me suggestions on my writing. I will do as you ask after the chaos of the preliminaries is over. I really liked your review. It was helpful and your suggestion is easily incorporated inside what little plans I have. Thanks again!

**Jozs001: **Ok, will do.

So, anyway, here's the 17th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If you say I do, Joseph the giant hippo will squish you.

(Start Chapter)

Naruto walked up the stairs to the upper level of the stadium and saw the rest of Team 8. He gave a salutary wave and continued to walk when he heard a voice.

"N-Naruto-kun," a soft, shy voice said. Naruto turned to see Hinata with a shy, confused gaze.

"Yes, Hinata-chan," Naruto said.

"W-what h-happened during y-your fight with K-Kiba-kun? I-I didn't s-see much."

"I'm wondering what happened, also. I didn't see very much since Kiba used so many smoke bombs. At the end, mostly, I only saw puffs of smoke under Kiba during your final attack with your clones," a voice said. Naruto turned and saw Kurenai with a small smile.

Naruto smiled before starting to answer them. "You see, I didn't expect many people to figure out what happened. It was a very elaborate trick, if I say so myself. The tricks I pulled with Henge and Kage Bunshin are nothing compared to my full strategy. They're not all that impressive. If you thought so, prepare to be shocked."

Naruto walked a few steps to lean against the railing as he continued. "For starters, I was holding back. I didn't decide to go all out until the end and even then, I wasn't able to because Hayate-san stopped the match. Also, I used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu 3 times in that battle."

"You used it 3 times? I only saw you use it 2 times." Naruto heard Kurenai say.

"That is because I disguised it within Kiba's smokescreens. Also, I rarely make only one clone when I use that technique."

Kurenai and Hinata looked confused. Shino seemed emotionless, but Naruto could tell he was interested.

"Now, let me explain. I made ten clones each time during that battle, making a total of thirty clones. Kiba only destroyed 11 of them; one was destroyed when Akamaru turned red and Kiba destroyed all 10 of them the third time I used it. In all, Kiba saw around 25 of them, including the ones I used for my finishing move. If you're still confused, look down into the arena."

Team 8 looked down onto the arena and saw the normal arena. A second later, the people in the balcony saw 5 puffs of smoke. Four of them were in the same general area and the fifth puff was where Naruto's sword was. When the smoke cleared, the sword was gone. Naruto bent down and picked up a small pebble from the ground as he spoke again, getting the attention of Team 8.

"The secret of my victory is this," Naruto said as he showed them the pebble, "Each of my clones transformed into a pebble on the ground. Also, the sword that I was using was also a clone, as you just saw. Since I have experience in hiding, I was able to hide my chakra effectively. Also, the chakra surge from Kiba's attacks drowned out the chakra surges of both me and my clones so I didn't have to put much effort into hiding. The smoke bombs that Kiba threw became his undoing since I was able to replace myself with one of my clones. Also, each time one of the clones disappeared, I was able to replace it with another one. At the end, all I needed to do was get Kiba close to the collection of pebbles that I created and attack from there."

Naruto then dropped the pebble and started to walk away. "Since most people think I'm an idiot, they wouldn't think I could come up with such a strategy. If anybody detected it, they were probably watching me carefully during my finishing move. I actually got the idea from you and your bugs, Shino-san. You did say that people should have a trump card during your battle with that Zaku person, right?" Team 8 looked shocked as Naruto finished.

Kurenai was surprised the most by Naruto's explanation. Naruto was supposed to be the "dead-last" in the academy. _"Isn't he supposed to be the genin that was the absolute worst at the basic techniques?" _she thought.She knew that he was smarter than he seemed the day that they met after the genin test, but this was unbelievable. She then saw Hinata step forward as Naruto walked away.

"N-Naruto-kun, w-wait," a soft, timid voice said. Naruto immediately recognized it and turned around.

"Yes, Hinata," Naruto said as he glanced at her. She pulled a small cylindrical container from her pocket and shyly handed it to Naruto.

"Huh, what's this?" Naruto asked with a smile and a confused look as Hinata tried to stutter out a reply. Kurenai saved her student by responding for her.

"It's medicinal cream. Just take it Naruto," she said as Naruto spoke again.

"Oh, okay; thanks Hinata; you're a really nice person, you know that?"

Hinata only smiled as Naruto smiled brightly. Kurenai chuckled at the sight as Naruto walked away again with a seemingly brighter smile.

"_Hinata definitely looks happier since Naruto spoke to her. You know, it seems Naruto is also is little more cheerful after that interaction," _Kurenai thought.

(Later)

Naruto arrived next to his team less than 30 seconds later. Naruto said what he wanted to say at that point.

"Thank you, Sakura-san. Your encouraging words really helped down there."

Sakura only looked surprised as she asked something that was bugging her.

"Naruto, what happened down there? Also, what's with the smoke puffs afterward? Did you learn how to use your Shadow Clones without seals? " she asked. Lee heard this question and joined in.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I am confused about the outcome of your battle. I only saw puffs of smoke, especially near the end. Did you learn a teleporting technique or was it as Sakura-san said?"

Naruto chuckled softly before starting to speak. He looked in their eyes and saw only curiosity so he indulged them. "You know, I just finished explaining this to Hinata-chan and her team. Alright then, I think I can trust you two to keep a secret." Naruto opened the small cylindrical container and rubbed the cream on his skin. Naruto was amazed when his wound started to heal miraculously fast, even with the Kyûbi's power.

"_Wow, this stuff works great! I wonder when Hinata-chan learned how to do this. It's really nice of her to give me such a useful gift," _Naruto thought as he saw Sakura and Lee's expectant faces.

Naruto picked up a pebble as he began again. Sakura and Lee paid close attention as the next match started. Naruto was disappointed as Dosu wiped the floor with Chouji, even when Chouji used Nikudan Sensha. The battle was so quick; Naruto finished his explanation just as the match ended. Sakura and Lee were amazed at Naruto's insight during his battle as the next match was chosen.

Meanwhile, Kankuro started to walk over to Naruto's position.

"_I thought the leaf genin would be weak. Maybe I can get information from the dumb one. I think his name was Naruto, right?"_

Naruto stayed still as Kankuro approached.

"Hey, your name was Naruto, right?"

"Yeah, what do you want?" Naruto asked somewhat coldly.

"Oh, nothing much; I just want to know about what you did in your battle."

"I don't generally tell a person anything about myself unless they gain my trust first."

"You're interesting. I like that," Kankuro said after a short laugh.

"You're not interesting at all. I don't like that," Naruto said in response.

"_I'm going to kill this idiot," _Kankuro thought. Both of them looked up as the scoreboard chose the next match.

"Rock Lee vs. Gaara"

Naruto widened his eyes and plugged his ears to prepare himself for what he knew would happen; and, as he predicted, it did.

"YES; IT'S FINALLY MY TURN! I CAN FINALLY SHOW OFF MY POWER OF YOUTH!" Lee yelled not three inches from Naruto's ear. Even with his ears plugged, he could still hear him loud and clear. Naruto braced himself because Gai was speaking.

"GO LEE!" Gai shouted before dropping his voice to a conspiratorial tone, "Lee, no one else has noticed, but… that gourd is pretty suspicious."

Naruto, who unplugged his ears right after they stopped shouting, heard this and almost lost his footing to the stupidity of the statement.

"_No, that gourd isn't suspicious. It's just decoration," _Naruto thought sarcastically before yelling in his mind, _"Of course it's suspicious, DAMN IT!"_

Naruto looked beside him to see Sakura looking dumbfounded at Gai's statement while preparing to cover her ears at any moment. Kankuro, beside him, was twitching as he tried to regain his sense of hearing.

"ALL RIGHT, LEE! GO!"

Lee jumped off the balcony as Kakuro was sent into another twitching fit. Naruto chuckled softly as Lee spoke calmly down in the arena.

"It's nice to be able to face you this early."

As Kankuro regained his hearing, he started to speak.

"I don't know what kind of techniques that bowl-cut boy uses, but he can't beat Gaara."

Naruto was reminded of Lee's previous exploits of strength in the Forest of Death and the way he kicked Sasuke's butt before the first exam. He thought carefully before speaking.

"No, he's strong."

Naruto said this as Lee made a quick movement and clutched his hand. He released his fist, dropping a cork to the ground.

"Don't be too hasty," Lee said as Hayate began the match.

Lee charged first and started to leap upward. Naruto watched closely as Lee threw a Konoha Senpû kick at Gaara. Lee was surprised to find that sand was guarding him. Lee unleashed a barrage of attacks while occasionally throwing kunai and shuriken at Gaara. Every single attack was blocked as Naruto watched in confusion.

"Hey, his attacks aren't working. What's going on?"

"Physical attacks are useless against Gaara," Kankuro said from behind Naruto. Naruto turned to face him as he continued. "Independent from his will, the sand will move to protect Gaara. That is why no one has ever wounded him."

Naruto looked shocked as he looked down again. Gaara was beginning to speak in a cold lifeless voice.

"Is that all you have to use against me? There isn't enough blood!"

Naruto started to feel slightly afraid of the Sand ninja as Lee was attacked by another wave of sand. Lee saw the sand rushing towards him and he was caught on the ankle by it. Lee was thrown against the wall as Gaara launched another sand wave. This time, however, Lee dodged it and began to bombard Gaara once again with ferocious attacks.

Naruto began to pay attention to the people around him when Sakura spoke.

"Why is Lee-san using only taijutsu against him? In this situation, he should pull back and use some ninjutsu to attack."

Gai answered this with a simple statement. "The reason is not that he isn't using them. It's because he can't use them."

Sakura and Naruto looked up immediately as Gai continued.

"Lee has absolutely no talent in ninjutsu or genjutsu."

Sakura gasped as she looked down again to see Lee barely escaping another sand wave by jumping into the air. Lee landed on a statue behind Hayate, out of Gaara's reach. Gai began to speak again.

"I know that ninja who can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu are rare, but for Lee, that's all there was. He could only survive by using taijutsu techniques. But, because of that, he can win!"

Naruto turned to face Gai again as Sakura asked a question.

"What do you mean?"

To Naruto, it seemed as if the question was ignored because his next statement didn't explain at all.

"LEE, TAKE THEM OFF!"

Lee looked at Gai from his position and started to respond.

"But, Gai-sensei, you said that I could only do that when protecting someone precious!"

"IT'S FINE! I WILL ALLOW IT!"

Lee seemed to smile brightly before sitting cross-legged on the top of the statue. Naruto watched as Lee took off a set of weights from his legs.

"Those are weights, right?" Naruto asked no one in particular. Kankuro scoffed as Lee started to drop the weights.

"There is no way that a measly set of weights can let him win against…"

BOOM! The spectators were stunned at the amount of weights that Lee wore. The weights seemed to make a 3 foot indentation on both sides of the statue. Naruto immediately thought one thing.

"_Holy Shit! That is way more than what I have on! Lee is probably incredibly fast right now! Let's see, judging by Lee's speed before he took off the weights, Lee should be faster than anyone here, except maybe Gai-sensei!" _

Naruto heard a few statements behind him. The one that made him laugh was the comment from Kakashi.

"Isn't that a little bit too much, Gai?"

Gai didn't respond. Instead, he pointed outward and shouted to Lee.

"NOW, GO!"

As soon as Gai said this, Lee stood and disappeared from the top of the statue. The spectators strained to keep up with Lee's speed, but they had little luck as Lee laid blow after blow within Gaara's sand. One punch in particular penetrated all the way through, missing Gaara's head by a fraction of an inch. Gaara, inside a rising circle of sand, began to look flustered as Lee laid waste to the shield.

Meanwhile, Gai was finishing his explanation.

"Since he can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu, he trained his whole ninja career in the physical arts. Lee has dedicated his entire schedule to learning and mastering the ways of taijutsu. Even if he can't use any other techniques, he can still win as a taijutsu specialist!"

At this point, Lee jumped up into the air and disappeared again. He reappeared above Gaara's head and spun rapidly as he fell. He released himself from his position just in time to strike Gaara's head from the top, leaving a wound on he cheek and the back of his head.

Naruto could hear an incredulous gasp from behind him. Naruto turned to see Kankuro looking at the battle in shock. He was only able to speak a few words.

"He…actually… hit Gaara. That's…not possible."

Naruto looked back down to see Gaara staggering backward. Lee charged again, disappearing as Gaara summoned a wave of sand. Lee reappeared behind Gaara and punched him away. Gaara slowly rose as Naruto turned to see the reactions of the people around him. Naruto saw the usual cheering faces around him, especially from Gai. The face that confused him was the expression that Kankuro wore.

It was an expression of fear.

Kankuro was only able to wrench out a few words.

"He's…screwed."

Naruto grinned before replying. "That's right. Black-eye boy is toast."

"That's not what I mean," Kankuro said while holding his expression, "That Lee kid is screwed; look at Gaara."

Naruto listened and looked down onto the field. Naruto widened his eyes as he saw Gaara wearing an evil grin while the sands surrounded his body. The grin faded as the sand closed the hole around his face.

"What the hell is that?" Naruto was able to ask as Kankuro answered him.

"That is the Suna no Yoroi. The sands surround Gaara's body and form a protective barrier around his skin."

"Wait, does that mean that he has an absolute defense?"

Kankuro didn't answer. He only thought as he looked down at the field.

"_Actually, the defensive power of the Suna no Yoroi is weaker than Gaara's Suna no Tate. Also, this technique is reliant on Gaara's will and it uses a lot of chakra. Gaara's weight also increases greatly since the sand is compacted against his skin. If he activated this technique, this means he is focused solely on defense."_

Naruto turned his attention back to the field to see Lee facing upward towards Gai. Naruto saw a slight movement which Naruto could interpret as a nod and Lee grinned before staring to unravel the bandages around his arms. Naruto opened his eyes wide as he recognized what would happen.

"_Is he going to use the move he used on that Dosu guy? Without the weights, Lee will probably hit a lot harder. I wonder what Gaara will do."_

Lee then started to run around Gaara at high speeds, creating a circular gust in his running path. Gaara merely stood calmly within the spiraling winds and said only one thing.

"Get on with it, already."

As soon as this was said, Lee shouted, "AS YOU WISH!" and moved to slam his foot into Gaara's chin. Due to the armor of sand, Gaara was too heavy to be set into the air and Lee continued, sending a barrage of kicks to his underside. Naruto looked intently as he saw movement from behind him. Lee cringed in pain during the attacks and Naruto noticed something.

"_Something's wrong. I just know it. What happened just now?"_

Naruto continued to watch as the bandages wrapped around Gaara. Lee faced Gaara's head towards the ground and began to spin rapidly while holding tightly to Gaara's bound body.

"Omote Renge!" was heard as Lee bashed Gaara's body into the ground, leaving a 3 foot crater in the arena. Lee landed near Gaara's body and smiled.

An eruption of cheers came from around Naruto as he looked down, trying to think about what happened a few seconds ago.

"_Something is off. I know Gaara did something when Lee cringed, but what?"_

Naruto then heard gasps of shock from all around. Naruto looked down in the arena and saw Gaara's body crumbling away, leaving a disintegrating shell of sand.

Lee looked shocked as the sands bulged behind him. Gaara emerged from the bulge, sporting a devious smile. His figure was oozing killing intent as he launched waves of sand at Lee. Lee only blocked or took the hits of sand as Naruto watched closely. Naruto then heard a voice filled with fear.

"The beast has awakened. Those eyes are…"

Naruto didn't bother asking as he watched Lee smash into the wall by means of a massive sand wave.

"Lee, get out of there!" Naruto yelled as Lee took the hit. As Lee emerged from the destruction, Naruto could see that Lee was slowing down. Naruto listened carefully as Sakura asked a question.

"Why isn't he dodging the attacks? With his speed, he should be able to avoid the sand easily."

"It's not that he isn't dodging it. He can't dodge it," Gai said as Sakura gasped. Kakashi continued for him.

"That technique, the Renge, is a double-edged sword. That is the reason why it's a forbidden technique. The Renge is neither Genjutsu nor Ninjutsu. It requires the user to move at a high rate of speed. Because of the speed required, the strain on the body is incredible. Lee's body is probably hurting all over, restricting his movement."

Sakura gasped and started to face the field, shouting to Lee.

"Lee-san! Stop fighting before you die!"

At this point, Lee only smirked as Gaara sent another wave of sand towards him. Lee held a steady stance as the wave approached. At the last moment, Lee disappeared from view to reappear unharmed.

"_He's recovered! How is he able to move!" _Naruto asked himself as Kankuro spoke again.

"That Lee kid had bad luck since Gaara is his opponent."

Gai spoke up at that moment as a response.

"No, Lee won't give up that easily, I know it. Lee will corner him now. The lotus blooms twice in Konoha."

Naruto immediately thought carefully as he looked down at the field.

"_Twice; what does he mean twice? Does he mean that Lee could use that technique again?"_

Naruto perked his head up as he heard Kakashi speaking.

"Gai, did you teach Lee…"

"Yes, it is as you suspect," Gai said in response.

So, that boy, a genin, is able to open the Eight Inner Gates and use Ura Renge?" Kakashi asked with a panicked tone.

"Yes, that's correct." Gai said in a whisper, surprising Naruto.

"This is horrible…" Kakashi said before raising his head again.

"Gai, how many of them can he open?" Kakashi asked with a hard tone.

"Five," Gai said simply.

Sakura had had enough by this point and made her presence known.

"What are the Eight Inner Gates and the Ura Renge?"

"Opening the Eight Gates, or Hachimon Tonku, is the process of removing the mental and physical limiters in the body, enabling the user to use the Renge."

"Limiters in the body?" Sakura asked before Kakashi continued.

"Yes; in the body, there are 8 areas where the chakra nodes converge on your chakra circulatory system. These are the eight gates. The gates, in order, are as such: Kaimon, Kyumon, Seimon, Shomon, Tomon, Keimon, Kyomon and Shimon. The Eight Gates constantly control the chakra in the body and the Renge forcefully override them to gain the power necessary to use it, even if the body is destroyed in the process."

Gai spoke up at this point, continuing the explanation.

"The Omote Renge forces open the Kaimon, or Gate of Opening, to override the mental inhibitions of the muscles."

"What about Ura Renge?" Sakura asked.

"Ura Renge," Gai started, "requires the user to open the Kyumon, or Gate of Rest, to boost his or her energy and the Seimon, or Gate of Life, to release the inhibitions in the nervous system."

"But, the Omote Renge," Sakura started, "got Lee beat up already. If he tries anything else…"

"That's right," Kakashi said, "When you open all eight gates, you will be able to have nearly infinite power, if only temporarily. As a consequence, however, the person will inevitably die."

Sakura gasped as Kakashi started to demean Gai. "Gai, I do not know what that boy means to you, but you have disappointed me."

Gai shot Kakashi a dark glare while he spoke in response. "What do you know? That boy is willing to die to achieve his goal. I taught him a forbidden technique to help him become what he wanted to be."

Naruto looked down and watched Lee closely. _"Is he really able to use that much power?" _Naruto thought as Lee crossed his arms and started to focus. Naruto widened his eyes as he felt a massive chakra surge. The pebbles around him lifted into the air as Lee started to change color.

"_His skin is …red?" _Naruto thought as Lee shouted.

"Daisan no Mon: Seimon: Kai!" Lee shouted as he crouched down lower. Naruto felt a larger chakra surge as he saw Lee scream again.

"Daiyon no Mon: Shomon: Kai!" Lee shouted as the blood vessels became visible on Lee's head.

Everyone saw him disappear as Lee rushed forward, obliterating the arena. The next thing anyone saw was Gaara's body rising from the rubble and dust created by Lee's sprint. Everyone shielded their eyes as the cloud passed.

"Where's Gaara?" Naruto heard as he looked upward. Everyone else followed suit as they saw Gaara's rising body. They were unable to see Lee as Gaara was pummeled by all sides by an invisible force. The sand couldn't keep up as Gaara was treated like a pinball. Lee reappeared in front of Gaara as he clutched his fist and spoke.

"Daigo no Mon: Tomon: Kai!"

The audience watched Gaara closely as a green figure punched him in the stomach. As awaited the jerk that signaled the time for the finishing blow, Lee was able to think one thing.

"_Neji, this attack was supposed to be used on you. I didn't want to show you, but here's a sneak preview!" _

Lee, at that point, felt the familiar jerk of his bandage as Lee tugged violently. Gaara started to move quickly upward as Lee hit Gaara with two destructive hits from his right leg and arm.

"URA RENGE!"

The bandage released at this point, sending Gaara, hurtling full-force to the ground. As he fell, a few people noticed something.

"_The gourd is made of sand! Why the hell is it disintegrating!"_

Gaara hit the ground hard as Lee fell without bracing himself. Lee struggled to get up as he saw a frightening sight.

Gaara was still conscious. He was lying in a pool of sand.

Gaara reached his hand towards Lee as Lee tried to run to no avail. Sands rushed towards Lee and enclosed around his left arm and leg. Naruto was able to hear Gaara say one thing.

"Sabaku Kyû"

The sands compressed, breaking Lee's limbs. Lee screamed out in pain before collapsing from the strain on his body.

The sands attempted to crush Lee again, but a gust of wind and Gai's hands prevented them from going any closer. Naruto was standing next to a shocked Kankuro as Naruto held his hands forward.

"_I don't know why I did that, but I know that he will not die; not on my watch," _Naruto said before preparing to jump in if necessary.

"Why?" Naruto heard as he looked at Gaara. "Why do you protect him?"

With a serious face, Gai said simply, "He is my precious protégé. I will protect him with my life."

Gaara simply collected his sand and walked calmly away.

"I'm done here," he said

Gai noticed something and turned to find Lee standing in his battle position. Gaara stopped in his tracks as Gai spoke.

"No way… Lee, you should stay down. The match is over."

As he laid his hand on Lee's shoulder, he noticed something.

"Lee, even when you're unconscious… you are…"

Gai shed tears at the mangled sight of his student. Gai pulled Lee into a hug.

"You are already a splendid ninja."

Naruto jumped down and ran towards the area where Lee was being taken by the medics. He was able to hear the things that the medics were saying to Gai.

"He's breathing on his own, but there are many fractures and torn muscles throughout the body. If that was it, we could expect a full recovery, but his leg and arm injuries are extremely severe. I'm afraid… that he will never recover enough to be a shinobi again."

Naruto was shocked as he looked at Lee. Naruto had decided that healing him would only cause problems so he left it to the medics. Now, it seemed that Lee wouldn't be able to fight, even with their help!

"This is terrible…" Naruto said as Lee was carried away. Naruto felt helpless as he returned to the top.

Gaara disappeared in a spiral of sand and reappeared on the balcony near his team.

Gai lingered behind until Kakashi told him to return to the top for the final match.

"Hyûga Hinata vs. Hyûga Neji"

Naruto, still feeling bad for Lee, saw his friend going down nervously. Naruto felt a spring of worry as he felt something bad. He also noticed Neji's surname and thought about that as well.

"_Are they related? Neji and Hinata seem to have the same eyes so it's a distinct possibility. I do have a bad feeling about this battle, though."_

Hayate started to speak, gaining Naruto's attention. "Now, let the 10th match begin."

Instead of an initial strike, Neji started to speak.

"I never thought I would be fighting you, Hinata-sama."

"I-I agree, N-Neji-nii-san."

Naruto furrowed his eyes at this point. _"They're siblings?"_

Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by Sakura's outburst. Ironically, the outburst stated what Naruto was just saying.

"Are they siblings?"

Kakashi answered for her. "They are among the members of Konoha's famous Hyûga clan. They're related, but they're not siblings."

"Then, how are they related?" Sakura asked.

"Well, they are members of the Hyûga clan's Main House and Branch House. Hinata-san is a member of the Main House and Neji-san is a member of the Branch House."

"So, they are related. This makes it pretty hard to fight, huh?" Sakura asked.

"Not necessarily," Naruto surprisingly said, "I heard that there is some strain between the Main House and the Branch House. I don't know the details, but Neji is launching some killing intent down there."

Naruto looked down as Neji started to speak.

"Now, Hinata-sama, I have something to say before we begin. You are not cut out to be a shinobi. Withdraw from the match!"

Hinata flinched as Neji continued. "You're too kind to people. You create peace, not trouble. You are the type that is easily led. You have absolutely no self-confidence so I know you would have been content as a genin, but I know that you entered for the sake of your teammates since you can only enter in groups of three. You have been reluctant to enter from the start, haven't you?"

"N-no, that's n-not true," Hinata started, "I-I really wanted to change so I-I entered in free will."

Kurenai thought back to when she confronted Hyûga Hiashi as she stood up in the balcony.

(Flashback)

Kurenai stood before the leader of the Hyûga clan, Hyûga Hiashi. He was currently training his youngest daughter in one of the dojo. He stood majestically as he had Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister; stand to run through a drill once again. Kurenai began to speak.

"From this day, Hinata will be under my command. She will be faced with life-threatening situations on a constant basis, especially since she is the Hyûga heir. Do you have any objections, Hiashi-sama?"

"Do as you wish," Hiashi said coldly as he stared at Kurenai, "she is useless to the clan since she can't measure up to Hanabi, five years her junior. She is a failure that we do not care much for. If you don't have anything left to discuss, leave. I am busy."

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Kurenai said as she left. As she exited the building, she thought one thing.

"_I hate sucking up to this bastard. He doesn't have any respect for others, even if it is his own daughter! He treats everyone like dirt and he gets away with it since he is among the most powerful people in the village! I can't believe the nerve of that guy! You don't know how relieved I am to be out of this stupid place!" _Kurenai thought as she stepped outside of the building. She turned to leave the compound to see the only Hyûga that she respects. Hinata stood with a sullen look as Kurenai thought one thing.

"_Did she hear what her father said?"_

(End Flashback)

"_Hinata is trying to change herself in her own way…" _Kurenai thought as Neji continued his verbal onslaught.

"Hinata-sama, you are the spoiled, sheltered baby of the Main House, just as I thought."

Hinata looked up as Neji continued. "People are unable to change themselves!"

Naruto looked up sharply as Hinata gasped. Neji ignored Hinata's expression and continued.

"A failure is destined to fail every time. A weak person does not become strong. Since people cannot change, differences are born. Out of these differences, people judge you and label you with terms such as "elite" or "failure", just as you judge others the same way. It doesn't matter who you are, you are judged with the same criteria. Your appearance, your intelligence, your abilities and personalities are tested and labeled by others as you do to everyone else. We live within the boundaries of others' judgments and the labels are irremovable. It is as permanent as the fact that you are of the Main House and I am of the Branch House."

Naruto was growing angrier by the second. Sakura hadn't noticed, but Kakashi and Kurenai had noticed immediately.

"_Naruto is pissed. Anyone who looks at Naruto for more than a second could see that. Neji is really testing his nerves right now. Also, anyone who knows anything about Naruto's life will know why he's pissed as well. I bet that Naruto would tear him apart at the first opportunity," _Kakashi thought.

"_Wow, I never saw Naruto so pissed before. I know why Naruto is pissed, but usually he would hide it. Also, I wonder what aspect of Neji's speech is bothering him. Is it the fact that he's basically demeaning his way of life or is it the fact that he's targeting Hinata?" _Kurenai thought.

Neji spoke up again as Naruto struggled to stay quiet.

"I've seen many things with my Byakugan eye and I know that the courage you're displaying is a complete bluff. I know for a fact that you desperately want to run away right now!"

As Hinata protested, Sakura asked a question. Naruto answered it, but in a voice that radiated fury.

"The Byakugan is the Hyûga's bloodline. It's a trait in the eyes like the Sharingan, but the Byakugan surpasses it completely when it comes to ocular perception."

Sakura immediately picked up the fury and shook as she thought.

"_What's wrong with Naruto? He seems…angry. Also, how does he know that?"_

Naruto turned his attention back to the field as Neji activated the Byakugan. Hinata diverted her eyes first to the upper left and then to the lower right before looking down and shivering. Naruto was worried as Neji spoke again.

"My eyes can't be fooled. Just now, you attempted to avert your eyes. First, you looked to the upper left, signaling the recollection of a past experience that brought you pain. Secondly, you looked to the lower right, signaling the recollection of pain and suffering. This means that you based the outcome of this match on the successes of your past experiences. You predicted your own defeat."

Hinata, at this point, raised her arms in front of her and touched her lip. Neji noticed these movements and continued.

"Even, now, you're bringing your arms upward to shield yourself from me like you wish to be away from me. Also, the way that you're touching your lip signifies your mind's struggle to erase your doubts and fears. It's a defensive reflex. So, by these actions, I know that you are aware of the fact that you cannot change yourself!"

"YES, SHE CAN!" was heard around the arena. Naruto had had enough of this guy and exploded as he thought.

"_This asshole, he has the nerve to say such a thing to Hinata-chan? Hinata is much stronger than we know. Also, how could he say that failures never change? Was he blind during my fight with Kiba? If he was right, I would have never won! Hinata-chan is not a failure!"_

"How dare you say that? You can't automatically decide the aspects of other people, you asshole! As much as I want to go down there and hand you your butt to prove you wrong, I won't!" Naruto shouted down to Neji as Sakura looked in surprise.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto said with a slight smile, "listening to this guy has pissed me off, but I won't fight him now."

Hinata looked confused as Naruto spoke again and grinned. "This is your fight. I'll destroy him after you're done with him."

Hinata looked in shock as Naruto gave Hinata a pleasant smile. Hinata looked down, but Naruto knew that wasn't due to discouragement.

Hinata looked at the floor as she focused her chakra and thought.

"_Naruto-kun," _Hinata thought as her chakra flowed to her eyes, _"Thank you." _

Hinata opened her eyes and the blood vessels around her eyes bulged from her skin. Naruto smirked as he saw Hinata activate her bloodline.

"I won't run anymore," Hinata said as she looked at Neji. Naruto looked down expectantly.

Neji raised an eyebrow as he looked at Hinata. _"Her eyes are different. There seems to be something there."_

"So, Hinata-sama, are you going to forfeit? If not, I will not be responsible for what happens here."

Hinata stood her ground and fell into a Jûken stance.

"Neji-nii-san, let's fight," Hinata said confidently, earning a smile from Naruto.

Naruto noticed one thing as he watched the standoff. _"They have the same stance, after all. I wonder how they'll fight." _

Neji charged towards Hinata and they unleashed a barrage of Jûken attacks at each other. Hinata parried each of Neji's attacks and swiftly countered. Neji blocked the counterattacks and continued to attack. To the spectators, the match was more like a dance than it was a fight.

Down on the field, Hinata was fighting with complete focus. Her movements were made with complete precision. That's why, when she had the chance…

"Ugh," Neji said as Hinata grazed his side. He stepped back and regained his stance as Naruto spoke.

"She got him," Naruto said with a smirk.

"Not really, it was only a knick," Sakura said with a hint of disappointment.

"But, a knick is all it would take."

Naruto and Sakura turned around to look at Kakashi who continued. "The Hyûga are famous for their dangerous taijutsu style. Unlike the normal taijutsu that Lee uses, the Hyûga clan uses their chakra in their taijutsu attacks. Lee's taijutsu style, Gôken, is all about breaking bones and causing injury. The Hyûga use a different style, Jûken, to injure the Keirakukei, or chakra circulatory system. It doesn't look impressive, but the effect increases after the initial attack since there is no way to strengthen the inner organs."

In the middle of the explanation, Naruto turned his attention back to the fight. Hinata seemed to be taking control since Neji was barely able to dodge or block her attacks.

"_She's pushing Neji. Hinata-chan has really been training. She's gotten better."_

"Who are they to attack the Keirakukei? Also, how can they attack what they can't see?" Naruto heard from beside him.

Naruto answered while keeping his eyes on the match. "They can. The Byakugan can see the Keirakukei inside the body and they can see how the chakra moves. They also have incredible control since they could see what they're doing. They do need the control in order to do the Jûken since they are releasing their chakra through their palms to damage the Keirakukei."

At this point, both contenders were charging at each other, their right arms ready to strike a critical part on their opponent's bodies. Both attacks landed and it seemed as if time stood still as the audience watched who would feel the attack first. Naruto looked worried since he knew that the hit areas caused immense damage.

No one moved. No one was able to. Everyone watched carefully, waiting for the outcome.

"GACK"

Shock was evident on everyone's face as they saw Hinata spit blood. Neji had poked something on her outstretched arm and it seems as if he wasn't affected.

"What the hell; what happened?" Naruto asked as Neji spoke.

"So, this is the full power of the Main House?"

Hinata narrowed her eyes and began to attack with her other arm. Neji only grabbed the arm and poked the middle. A few people, including Kurenai, Kakashi and Sarutobi, noticed what just happened.

"No way; you mean, from the beginning…" Hinata said as she looked at Neji's position. Neji pulled back Hinata's sleeve and responded.

"Yes; I can see the Tenketsu."

"What is he talking about?" Naruto asked. This time, he didn't know what happened and he wanted to know why. Kakashi spoke to answer.

"He's saying that he can hit the Tenketsu. Along the Keirakukei are 361 points not larger than a pencil point. These points are called Tenketsu and it is said that if you can accurately hit them, you can halt or enhance the flow of chakra to a given area. I can't even see these points, even with the Sharingan. To think that he can perceive so accurately in the heat of battle…"

Naruto stopped listening as he heard Hinata's scream. Neji threw Hinata to the ground and Hinata struggled to stand. Blood splattered on the floor as Neji spoke.

"This is the distinct gap between elite and failure. The moment you refused to forfeit was the moment your defeat was assured. I will give you one last chance. Forfeit!"

Hinata unsteadily stood as she stuttered out a sentence through her pain.

"I will n-never go back on my w-word because," Hinata said as she stood and faced Neji, "That is my shinobi way as well."

Naruto looked shocked as he basically heard his words come from Hinata's mouth. Kakashi started to speak.

"Neji sealed up the Tenketsu in Hinata's arms. She has lost the ability to perform the Jûken. This fight is as good as over."

Hinata coughed blood again, earning shocked looks from around the balcony. Naruto smirked before shouting once again.

"Hinata-chan, you know as well as I do that Neji didn't seal all of the Tenketsu in your arms! You don't need my permission; use it! I know you know what I'm talking about!"

Hinata gave a weary smirk before bringing her hands together. She closed her eyes as she performed five quick seals and her hands glowed green. Naruto smiled as he saw Hinata move her hands across her arms. She then placed her hands on her chest and focused to heal herself.

Up in the balcony, people were either watching Hinata in awe or watching Naruto in confusion.

"_Is that…a healing technique? I didn't know that she knew a technique like that!" _Kurenai thought as she looked at Naruto. _"Also, what did Naruto mean by 'you don't need my permission'?"_

Sakura and Kakashi were giving Naruto the most confused looks as he kept focused on Hinata's progress. _"She's done well to master that technique. I may well have to teach her another one," _Naruto thought as he smiled brightly.

When the technique finished, she reopened her eyes, showing overflowing confidence.

"_Naruto-kun," _Hinata thought as she charged forward, _"I've watched you for so long. Why is it that, when I watch you, I feel that I can be worth something? That is how I feel. I've watched you for so long; now, it's your turn!_

Neji defended her attacks while looking for an opening. As he weaved in and out of her assaults, he thought, _"The look of courage has returned."_

Up in the balcony, Kurenai also thought. _"Hinata, you always had a bad habit of quitting when you got under confident. You trained so hard, but on missions, you would always full of flaws. You were weak and shy. You never had faith in yourself. Now, that's not true. Now, you have a look in your eyes beyond what I had ever seen!"_

Neji finally found his opening as Hinata charged one last time. Neji dodged Hinata's arm and thrust his right arm into her chest cavity. Naruto gasped and widened his eyes as Gai spoke.

"That was Neji's best attack. Her heart was just heavily damaged."

Hinata fell to the ground as Hayate knew he had seen enough.

"I am now stopping this match before…"

"NOT YET; DON'T STOP IT!"

Hayate looked up to Naruto as Sakura started to yell.

"Naruto, shut up! She's got nothing left!"

Naruto only stood calmly with his arms crossed as looks of shock circulated throughout the stadium.

Hinata was unsteadily standing. Her movements were sluggish, but she was slowly transferring her weight from her hands to her legs. Hinata clutched her side as Neji spoke.

"Why are you getting up? If you push yourself too much, you'll die."

Hinata thought as if she was answering Neji's question.

"_It's because I am now being watched by the person I've adored and I can't afford to look bad. I will show him my true demeanor!"_

"T-this is not over." Hinata said unsteadily as she looked at Neji. Neji just stared impassively as he spoke again.

"Drop the act; I can see clearly that you are totally drained. You are faced with the destiny of the Hyûga clan from birth and you've hated yourself due to your weakness. Unfortunately, you can't change your fate. You don't need to suffer any more."

"No, Neji-nii-san," Hinata said, "You're the one who's suffering. It is you who is caught between the intertwined fates of the Main and Branch Houses of our clan."

The veins around Neji's eyes bulged out even further as he grew angry at Hinata's words. He charged forward to deliver a finishing blow, but he felt many points of resistance a second before he was able to strike.

The first resistance came from his sensei, Gai, who was holding Neji's neck securely. The second resistance came from Kurenai, who was holding his left wrist and crouching in a position that was ready to interrupt his movement. The third resistance came from Hayate, who was focusing chakra in his fingertip and pushing Neji back from his position in front of his palm. The fourth resistance came from Kakashi, who was simply holding his right outstretched arm.

"So, why are all of you involved? Special protection for the heiress, I presume?" Neji asked from his bound position.

"Neji, you said that you wouldn't bring your clan's matters into this exam," Gai said.

"This match is already over. I will prevent excess dead bodies if I can help it," Hayate said.

"I have the duty to protect my student," Kurenai said.

"As do I; also, if you progressed any further, you would have been faced with an even greater danger. A danger that can be found behind me," Kakashi said.

Sure enough, behind Kakashi, stood a pissed Naruto who was in the middle of a seal order. Kakashi dropped Neji's arm and had Naruto stop his technique.

The serious atmosphere was dropped when Hinata coughed and gasped. She dropped to the ground in pain as Kurenai released her hold and rushed towards her student. Naruto rushed soon after to notice Hinata's condition.

"_She's pale. That Jûken attack must have hit her pretty hard."_

"Hey, Dropout Boy," a voice interrupted Naruto's thought. Naruto stood and faced the source of the voice, Neji.

"Here's some advice; a true warrior would have too much pride to cheer for strangers. You shouldn't have made a spectacle of yourself. Also, one more thing…"

Naruto narrowed his eyes as Neji completed his statement. "A failure will remain a failure. You might as well accept that."

Naruto held his expression while speaking in a cold tone. "As much as I would love to kick your butt to Sunagakure and back, I'm busy right now. But, I swear, when we fight," Naruto knelt down to slide his fingers through a pool of Hinata's blood, "I vow to win and show you how much you are mistaken," Naruto said as he stood up again and outstretched his right hand, dripping blood on the crumbling floor. Naruto brought his hands together and said one thing with unrestrained anger.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have a friend to help."

Naruto turned and quickly cycled through five seals; Ne, Tori, Inu, Saru and Tatsu (Rat, Bird, Dog, Monkey, and Dragon). As soon as he reached Hinata's body he spoke again with an urgent tone.

"Kurenai-sensei, please move; Kousei no Jutsu," Naruto said as Kurenai did as she was asked. Naruto started to place his green hands over Hinata's chest as he let the chakra seep in. He focused carefully to ensure the success of his technique.

"_Now, let the chakra seep in. Let's see, the lungs are damaged as well as her heart. I need to work on those quickly. The damage is really severe. He really tried to kill her," _Naruto thought as he gave Neji a dark look.

As the technique ended, Naruto took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look at Hinata. _"She's still pale. Her breathing is still heavy and her heartbeat is still wild. I have to do it again!"_

Naruto performed to same seals in front of Kurenai as she watched to whole thing. Naruto thought as he finished the seals with dried blood on his hands. _"Shit; whatever the hell that snake bastard did is really messing with me. I still have enough control to use this technique, but I'm wasting a lot of chakra."_

"Kousei no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as his hands turned green again.

Kurenai thought as Naruto placed his hands in position again. _"Wait, is that what he meant? If I'm not mistaken, that's the same technique! Also, Hinata is starting to look better. He's really doing a good job here."_

Naruto raised his hands and looked. He performed the seals again and spoke.

"One more time; KOUSEI NO JUTSU!" Naruto shouted, moving his hands over Hinata again. Naruto kept his eyes open this time and saw Kurenai's confused look. He immediately saw the unspoken question and answered it.

"If you're wondering, Kurenai-sensei; yes, this is the same technique. In fact, I taught her. She mastered this technique pretty quickly, may I add."

Kurenai widened her eyes as Hinata's breathing steadied. Naruto's technique ended as Kurenai noticed the color returning to Hinata's face. Naruto was falling to the ground as he said one last thing.

"I've done…all I can. I hope…it is enough."

The last thing Naruto remembered was the feeling of being exhausted followed by the feeling of being caught by a pair of feminine hands.

(POV change)

"Naruto-san!" Kurenai shouted as she caught Naruto's unconscious body. The medic team came to pick up Hinata at that point and Kurenai noticed that Hinata looked just fine. A second team came to pick up Naruto and Kurenai gave his limp body to them. The genin that passed then went down to the destroyed arena, the exceptions being Naruto and Sasuke.

Before the Hokage spoke again, a medic walked up to Kurenai and handed her a piece of paper. Kurenai opened the folded sheet and began to read.

_Hyûga Hinata will recover fully within the week due to immediate first aid. She was suffering from a moderate heart injury which was mostly healed before we arrived. She is currently recovering from the aforementioned heart injury and moderate chakra depletion. There will be no lasting damage to the cardiac muscles or respiratory muscles. _

_Uzumaki Naruto is merely suffering from minor wounds and chakra depletion. He will probably recover with a few days._

_Otherwise, there is nothing else to worry about._

_Konoha Medic Team_

Kurenai only smiled.

(End Chapter)

Technique List:

Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Technique

Suna no Tate: Shield of Sand

Suna no Yoroi: Armor of Sand

Omote Renge: Front Lotus

Ura Renge: Reverse Lotus

Sabaku Kyû: Desert Coffin

Kousei no Jutsu: Resusitation Technique

(End Technique List)

Gates Translations:

Hachimon Tonku: Hachimon Tonku is the process in which the Eight Gates are forcefully opened, allowing the user to use massive power. The condition in which all Eight Gates are opened is called "Eight Gates Inner Formation" and the user will have nearly infinite power for a short while. After the effect wears off, the user will die.

Kaimon: Gate of Opening: releases the brain's ability to limit the strain on the muscles, but does damage to the muscle fibers

Kyumon: Gate of Healing: releases the brain's limit on the body's stamina making a battle worn person become miraculously ready to fight as if the fight had just started

Seimon: Gate of Life: located on the spinal cord, it releases the limit on the nervous system, which makes information travel at a faster rate and creates even more stamina

Shomon: Gate of Harm: releases the limit on oxygen intake in the lungs that creates much more energy for the body to use

Tomon: Gate of Limits: releases the amount of chakra released because this is the area, the upper abdomen, where chakra is stored before it's released in the body as jutsu

Keimon: Gate of Viewing: removes the limit on how much the intestines, where the gate is located, can digest fat/proteins and releases otherwise useless energy resources giving the body even more power and stamina

Kyomon: Gate of Wonder/Insanity: removes the limit of how fast the body can move, removes wastes from dead skin cells to feces, the gate is located in the bladder, and gives the body a much cleaner system to work with and seemingly produces more power and stamina

Shimon: Gate of Death: uses all the body's energy and opens the final gate located at the heart. It makes the heart pump at maximum power and exceeds the power of the last gates. This uses up all the cells energy and gives them power close to infinity, well above that of any Kage. This "big bang" effect lasts only for a while and ends up with the muscles, including the heart, being completely destroyed and killing the user

Daisan no Mon: Seimon: Kai: The Third Gate: Gate of Life: Release/Open

Daiyon no Mon: Shomon: Kai: The Fourth Gate: Gate of Harm: Release/Open

Daigo no Mon: Tomon: Kai: The Fifth Gate: Gate of Limits: Release/Open

(End Gates Translations)

A/N: All of the attacks used and the information about the gates were taken from Wikipedia. Now that that is out of the way, I hope you liked this chapter. As usual, please tell me what you liked and what you hated, along with whatever grammar or spelling mistakes I made. Trust me; writing this story is much more fun than scanning a textbook for information for a stupid paper. It's like they make textbooks boring on purpose in an elaborate plot to bore teenagers to death! Anyway, please review by pressing the pretty button!


	18. Chapter 17: Teachers

A/N: I like writing. It's fun. It seems the preliminaries are over so now, you'll see the answers to a few of your questions in the next chapter. This is one of my bridge chapters. I hope you like it anyway. Here are your review responses!

**Tellemicus Sundance: **Damn, I thought I made up something good with the "I'm going to heal her with everything I have, even if it sucks my chakra supply dry" thing that I had Naruto do was pretty original. I rigged the order so Naruto didn't miss any of the matches and I made it so Naruto would only miss the drawing of the final matches. You'll see how I have things work out here.

**BioDragon: **For starters, it's Neji. Anyway, Neji is going to have a…unique experience with Naruto.

**Dragon Man 180: **Thanks for the reassurance. I just needed to make sure you were okay with it. I do have another plan for when Baki and Kabuto talk to each other, though…

**Gohan-Chan: **Thanks

**Locker87: **Thank you; I get that a lot.

**Amine-Boy07: **I'm glad you like it. Joseph won't squish you.

**Hybrid thing: **You'll get your wish soon enough. It's not in this chapter, though.

**Demon of Konoha: **Naruto's time with Jiraiya won't be a waste, I assure you. Also, yes, all the little changes will probably lead to a major change soon enough. Okay, maybe not that soon.

**Ecchi-ANBU: **That's a good point, but you have to remember one thing. The Heal Gate increases stamina. It would make a person who was fighting for hours ready to fight.

**Armanstay: **Thanks

**HELLCATontheRUN: **Thanks for the advice and compliment. It's pretty difficult to not make Naruto too powerful. At the same time, it's pretty painful to restrain him. Thank you so much for the compliment. It is reviewers like you and reviewers that leave helpful advice that make me want to write this story.

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **Thanks for the effort of checking. I try to make my grammar as perfect as possible, but I make mistakes sometimes.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you think so. I gave this particular battle serious thought before I wrote it. Also, Gaara the cute psychopath was a good touch; I agree. Wikipedia is the best place for my research. I use it a lot.

**PopeYodaI: **Um, thanks?

**Causeiambetta: **I see. You know, I'm not surprised. My heart wasn't in the Gaara as. Lee fight like it was during the Hinata vs. Neji fight. Sorry, I will not kill Neji in this story. He'll be heavily injured, but not dead.

**NarutoNineTails: **OW; what's this? (Picks up computer) Aw man, such a waste of such a good computer.Don't worry, I'll write more.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness:** Thanks

**Light of the Demons: **Thank you for your review.

**Silver Warrior: **I guess I see your point. I'm the same way with math. The difference is, I read the others because I have to and stuff like that. I'm still a junior in high school. At least, I'm going to be. Anyway, I'm glad you liked Naruto's strategy. I'm a good strategist at heart so I think a little of that leaked into my story. By the way, look forward to seeing Neji's ass on a silver platter.

**Conan98002: **You have a pamphlet? Can I have a copy?

**TomokiG: **…Thanks for your commentary on my first few chapters. I did mention that I was a first-time writer, right? Anyway, I have a little defense set up, here. On your first review, you mentioned that I use Japanese phrases too much without a direct translation. I fixed that problem in this chapter and I already stopped using the phrases for anything that was not a Technique or Honorific in a previous chapter. Also, you mentioned that I use words for my scene changes or POV changes. If you hadn't noticed, spare lines are deleted when you upload your document, so I stopped using them after they were deleted after I tried to upload my first chapter. The last thing in your first review was the fact that I repeated a few phrases in the next chapter and the chapters seemed like an introduction. Well, it was my first time and I thought it was a good thing at the time. Also, the first few chapters were the introduction to the story. I have one more thing to add. YOUR FIRST REVIEW WAS ONE MILLIMETER SHORT OF A FLAME! Please don't mind the yelling.

**TomokiG (continued): **At least your second review seemed like a gentle push instead of a harsh shove. I've fixed what you said was a big problem in this chapter. As a closing word, may I add one thing? I would have happily changed it if you had contacted me earlier with these suggestions. I love the reviews, but I needed to bandage myself after the first one. Thank you.

**Clone Daniel: **Thank you for your review. I didn't think that the battles were too fast. I didn't put much thought into the Gaara vs. Lee fight, but I put a lot of effort into the Hinata vs. Neji fight.

**Tsugiko: **Thanks for your review.

**Kitsu Maharu: **Well then, I hope Guu Gagu Lolo the 6th of the Kataro Kohei Tsuki no Tsubasa tribe is having a good time. Man; that name's a mouthful but it sounds great so I like it! Also, what were you saying after that?

**Arganaut: **Thanks for your praise about that. I placed a lot of thought into it and it worked out perfectly. Anyway, good luck on your story!

**VFSNAKE: **Yes, he did, but it was an emergency, right? Also, Naruto was freaking pissed at Neji and he was a little too angry to keep up the mask. About Kyûbi, though, he will be able to speak to Naruto, but not as clearly as you think. Neji will be heavily injured when he fights Naruto, though. I do have a small plan of what will happen after the battle, though.

**Kyuubidaime: **Damn, you're right. I should have done that. Oh well, what's done is done, huh? Also, I gave this particular part some serious thought and I made it this way. Training with Ero-Sennin will be harder than it usually is in the manga, but Naruto will learn a lot. There are hints of a blossoming relationship in this chapter, but no solid fluff.

**Anttolas: **Thanks; will do.

**NewSon: **I'll try to do that. It will be difficult, but I'll do my best. Thanks for your review/suggestion.

**Orbrey: **Thank you for pointing out my spelling error. I'll fix it as soon as I can. You'll see the effects of the revelations a little later on.

**ShadowBack: **Exactly; that's exactly what I was going for. He's a hard worker, but he's not a genius. He's a lot like Lee, but he isn't hard to look at. Also, I love responding to good reviews. I also respond to bad ones, but you can tell if I thought your review sucked by my response. If you got a good response, your review was good. If you got a one word response, your review sucked. That's just how I do things.

**Biggestboss: **Okay; will do.

**Chase-kun: **Thanks for your little suggestion there. I'll change it soon enough. It was nice of you to point that out, though.

**Songbird21: **Thanks for your reviews. I'm glad you like my story. You need to read the rest of the chapters, though.

Now, on a personal note, I'm getting a little annoyed with some reviews. Don't get me wrong, I like reviews, but I don't particularly like one or two-liners for reviews. Usually, I would leave a response that matched the usefulness of the review. If you left a good review, I left a good response. "Continue, please" and "It was great" don't exactly fly well with me (Trust me, I'm picky with detail). At least, tell me what I'm doing right so I can pass the advice along to others who have lost their inspiration or something. Not to sound big-headed or cocky, but I know I'm good. I just want to know what's good and what's bad so I can respectively keep it up and fix it.

Also, I need your opinion so I can decide whether or not I will allow anonymous reviews. I didn't allow them at first since I was a struggling first-time writer, but now, I'm feeling a bit more confident and I'm thinking about allowing anonymous people to review. The catch is that I won't respond to anonymous reviewers because people can use the same names. So, give me your opinions and I'll think about it.

As a reminder, I HATE FLAMES! Any flames will be ignored.

By the way, Tenten's surname comes from **VenomLord** and his story "Life of Uzumaki Naruto."

Now, that's enough ranting. Here's the 18th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

Disclaimer: Now, let's see; I have either Jimmy the hamster or Vivian the ostrich. Now, which one should say, "**Omegaguardian** does not own Naruto"?

(Chapter Begins)

(In the Arena)

"I congratulate you all for getting this far. I congratulate you for passing the first part of the third exam. Even if two of you aren't here, I still offer my praise," Hayate said as he offered the floor to Sarutobi.

The Hokage nodded as he stepped forward. He began to speak in a majestic tone as Hayate turned to write something on a scroll.

"Now, I will explain the finals. Like I said, you will be fighting in front of everyone, representing each of your respective countries. So, thus, the finals will commence a month from now."

"So, we're not doing it sooner, why?" Shikamaru asked lazily.

"We call this the Requisite Preparation Period since we must send out invitations and results to the neighboring countries so they can send their feudal lords and shinobi leaders here for the final part."

"So, what other purpose does this serve?" Neji asked as Sarutobi continued.

"Well, it also serves as a preparation period for you genin so you can train and understand your foes. To be fair, we allow this month so you can hone your skills to blow away your opponents while analyzing your opponent's weaknesses in battle. Also, we can't have you fighting in your injured state, can we?"

Anko walked forward, carrying a box as the Hokage spoke again. "Now, before we dismiss you, I need you to do something for me. Inside the box that Anko is holding are nine slips of paper. Draw one out of the box, if you please."

As soon as everyone drew a slip, Ibiki called out to the genin, holding a clipboard. "Now, from left to right, tell me the number on your slip."

"I have 8," Dosu said.

"7," Temari said.

"5," Kankuro said.

"3," Gaara said.

"9," Shikamaru said.

"2," Neji said.

"6," Shino said.

Iruka placed his hand into the box and drew a number. "I have 1. I'm drawing for Naruto," Iruka said.

"So, Uchiha-san will be 4," Ibiki said as he marked something n his clipboard.

"Very well, I can reveal what the match order will be," the Hokage said as the genin had shocked faces.

Ibiki turned his clipboard around, showing a tournament-style match-up.

First, it was Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyûga Neji. Then it was Gaara vs. Uchiha Sasuke. On another bracket, there was Shino's name linked to Kankuro's name, signifying a match. After that, it was Temari's name, which was set in a position to fight the victor of the match of Dosu Kinuta vs. Nara Shikamaru. Each of the genin had different thoughts.

"_So, I'm fighting a puppet master, huh?"_

"_My match is pretty late in the drawing."_

"_So, I have one less fight to do, huh?"_

"_Good, I'm not in the same bracket as Gaara."_

"_Damn, I have to fight an extra troublesome fight."_

"_I fight Uchiha Sasuke, huh?"_

"_This is perfect. I'll wipe the floor with that dead-last."_

"Now, are there any questions?" the Hokage asked. Shikamaru raised his hand.

"Yes; so, if this is a tournament-style exam, does that mean only one person will become chûnin?"

"No, that's not it," the Hokage said simply, "the judges will grade your performance during your matches. If we see that you are worthy of the title, you will acquire it. Even if you lose in the first round, you are still able to obtain the title. In fact, all of you can become chûnin, or…none of you will!"

Shikamaru fidgeted as the Hokage dismissed the genin. The jônin and chûnin present stayed behind. The Hokage started to speak to the people present.

"Now, to allow the people to train, no missions will be given to your genin teams. Iruka, can you go and tell Naruto-kun the information that I just said?"

Iruka bowed and turned to leave as a voice called out.

"Wait," Hayate coughed out. Iruka turned and barely caught a scroll.

"Give that to Naruto-kun, if you don't mind. It's not dangerous, I assure you."

Iruka nodded and left the arena.

(Later (Same Day))

"**Seems…heal…some reason…hope…idiot"**

Naruto woke up with a start. _"What the hell was that? That voice didn't make sense at all! Where was it coming from?"_

Naruto looked around to see that he was in a hospital. He was in a room with someone else, but he couldn't see the person due to a large curtain. The lights were dim, giving Naruto the idea that it was nighttime. _"Oh, great, I'm in the freaking hospital. This place really sucks. The nurses give me those stupid dirty looks so I can't trust them as far as I can spit them. Let's see. Where can I get out?"_

Naruto spotted the window and smirked. He was about to leave when the door opened. Naruto immediately went back on the bed and feigned sleep as Iruka came in.

Iruka placed Hayate's scroll on the bedside table along with a handwritten scroll that described the details that the Hokage said. Iruka looked at Naruto closely before smirking and picking up the handwritten scroll. Iruka pulled out a pencil and wrote on it before placing it back on the table. He smirked one more time before leaving the room.

"_Damn, he probably knows I'm awake. Now, let's see what he left me."_

Naruto picked up Iruka's scroll and started reading with what little light he had.

_Naruto,_

_When you passed out, you were taken to the hospital so I hope that answers your first question. Now, the Hokage said a few things while you were out. First of all, the third exam is basically a tournament. I've drawn a little diagram of the match—ups. _

Naruto looked at the diagram to see his first match. He smirked as he saw his opponent. _"Hyûga Neji; I couldn't have dreamed of a better opponent. Let's see what else Iruka-sensei wrote for me." _Naruto thought before continuing to read.

_As you can see, you're facing a pretty powerful opponent; but, if I know you well enough, you have something up your sleeve to take him down, huh?_

Naruto smirked and thought as he mentally responded. _"Of course I do! I'm making a strategy just for that purpose! You know me well, Iruka-sensei." _Naruto then continued to read.

_Okay, then; back to what I was saying; you have a month to train yourself before the final match. This month is used to call the nobles from other countries to watch your matches. Just so you know, even if you lose in the first round (I know you won't); you can still become a chûnin._

_Now, for the personal part; Hayate-san gave you a scroll as well. It probably has to do with swordsmanship so read it after you're done here. Along with that, I've smuggled something out of the Konoha library for you. Take a look; I'm sure you'll like it._

Naruto gave a confused look before looking down on the page. Naruto found a normal chakra seal so he placed his hand over it and channeled chakra into it to reveal a yellow scroll. Naruto opened it to find that it was a technique scroll. Naruto continued to read.

_I thought you'd like it. This is a scroll giving you instructions to use Raiton: Denkô Dangan no Jutsu. This is a chûnin level technique that requires a lot of chakra. But, I don't think that's much of a problem, huh? Anyway, I hope you're able to use it. Of course, I've learned this technique already and you'll have to surpass me to become Hokage, huh? I hope you do well in the finals. I'll be watching._

_Umino Iruka_

_P.S.: I know you're awake. I've gotten a little less oblivious from your time in the academy. Anyway, I hope that you're able to visit me during your intense training. Even if you aren't able to, I'll still be cheering for you._

At the bottom of the page, there was a crude chibi drawing of Iruka. It was holding flags with his hands while having a closed-eyes smile. There was a speech bubble that said "Ganbatte, Naruto!" originating from its mouth.

Naruto only smiled while holding back tears. He thought as he resealed the technique scroll and grabbed Hayate's scroll.

"_Iruka-sensei can be really nice when he wants to be. I wonder what Hayate-san wrote."_

In an untidy scrawl, Naruto was able to make out Hayate's words.

_Naruto-kun,_

_Let me be the first to say that your sword stance sucks! If you hadn't heard that already, you've heard it now. If I were to guess, you haven't received any training with it, huh?_

_Anyway, enclosed in this scroll are five chakra seals. Each of the seals has a basic swordsmanship scroll in it and I hope you're able to practice it during your training month. I will give you a few lessons myself and I expect you to show up. Read the five scrolls before you come to me, though. The first lesson will be within 5 days._

_Personally, I don't like you very much, but I have a debt to pay back so be sure to come ready to work._

_Gekkô Hayate_

The only things left on the page were the five seals and an address. Naruto looked at the address and the time they were to meet. Naruto smiled as he unsealed the first sword scroll. Naruto began to read and learned a few things about swordsmanship.

_The most important aspect of sword-fighting is the swordsman's stance. A weak stance will bring a weak sword slice and a weak defense while fighting. This scroll will teach you the aspects of a basic sword stance. Use it well._

Naruto looked around the room after reading the small section. Naruto spotted Hinata in the same room and he walked over to her bed. Naruto was relieved to see that she was perfectly safe. Naruto smiled with sincerity before stoking Hinata's hair softly. Hinata's neutral expression shifted into a soft smile she snuggled closer to Naruto's hand. Naruto continued to softly caress Hinata's head as a cold gust blew through the window.

Naruto was startled out of his trance by the breeze and was reminded of what he was doing. Naruto then stroked Hinata's hair one last time before looking around and leaving through the window, taking the scrolls with him.

Unknown to Naruto, Iruka saw the entire scene. He chuckled softly as he walked out of the building.

(With Naruto)

Naruto moved across the rooftops and headed towards his clearing. Naruto was looking forward to training with the new techniques and he rushed towards his private area to try them out.

Naruto arrived around 15 minutes later and landed about 50 feet from the actual clearing. Naruto focused and tried to sense if anything was around him. Naruto smiled when he found no one and walked the rest of the way. When he got there, Naruto immediately opened the technique scroll from Iruka.

_Raiton: Denkô Dangan no Jutsu (Lightning Release: Lightning Bullet Technique)_

_Class: C-rank_

_Range: Low to Long-range (0-200 feet)_

_Description: This technique uses concentrated chakra to create a lightning bolt in the user's fingertips. The user then fires the chakra towards the target, creating a fast lightning attack which can cause moderate damage. Depending on the user's skill, the user can fire up to 5 bolts; one for each fingertip on one hand. This technique needs a great amount of chakra and moderate control._

_Seals: Ushi, Inu, U, Saru, Hitsuji, Tori, Tatsu, Saru, Mi, Uma, Ne, Tori, Saru (Ox, Dog, Hare, Monkey, Ram, Bird, Dragon, Monkey, Snake, Horse, Rat, Bird, Monkey)_

_Instructions: First, after performing the seals; touch your right wrist with your index and middle fingers on your left hand. Focus your chakra (especially you are using this technique for the first time) on your index finger. After that, point your hand towards your target and release the chakra. The shot should fire towards your target. At first, you should be able to hit something within 5 feet. With experience, you should be able to fire rapidly with shots that go farther._

_Note: With this technique active, you are still able to use other techniques. Until you fire the shots or actively disengage it, you will still be able to use the shots, though they are the most effective when they are fired within 20 minutes of the engagement of the technique._

Naruto read the scroll carefully before leaping up excitingly and approaching the nearest tree. He stood roughly 5 feet away and performed the thirteen seals. Naruto followed the instructions and was pleased to see a blue sparkle on his index finger. Naruto pointed his hand towards the tree and released the chakra. Naruto saw a large blue flash after he released the chakra which caused him to close his eyes.

Naruto heard a crunching noise and electrical sparks before he opened his eyes. Naruto opened his eyes and saw an amazing sight.

The tree had a hole in it. The hole was about 5 inches in diameter and Naruto could see all the way through the tree. Naruto was pleased and amazed by the results and he tried it again, and again, and again.

(4 Days Later)

Naruto now lay on the ground. Surrounding him were about 100 trees, each with a hole through them. Naruto's latest tree had a 7-inch diameter hole and the tree behind it, around 150 feet away, had a scorch mark in it.

"_I've mastered it. This is excellent. I can make 5 shots with this technique and I can hit things 150 feet away. This is incredible."_

Naruto stood wearily as he returned to his home. Naruto held a smile as the satisfaction of mastery emerged. Naruto passed by the hospital on the way back as his thoughts turned back to his hospital roommate.

"_I wonder how Hinata-chan is. I should pay her a visit sometime. I'll visit her tomorrow. I know she likes company."_

Naruto passed by the academy and thought again.

"_I really should thank Iruka-sansei for the technique. I should also tell him I mastered it within a few hours. He'll be so jealous."_

Naruto walked for a few more minutes, enjoying the cool night air (especially, since not many villagers were out that night) and arrived at his house. Naruto fell on his bed and immediately fell asleep.

(The Next Day)

"YOU DID WHAT!"

"I mastered that Raiton technique last night. I came to thank you for it, Iruka-sensei," Naruto said simply, enjoying the look on Iruka's face.

"That's impossible! It took me three weeks to master that!" Iruka shouted in response.

"Well, they don't call me the most unpredictable ninja for nothing," Naruto said calmly as Iruka continued his tirade.

"I know, but still, you must have used a lot of chakra last night! You're still recovering!"

"Whatever, Iruka-sensei; I'm just fine. I think a normal person would still be out like a light, huh?"

"Exactly; you should still be in bed!"

"I said, 'a normal person would still be out like a light.' I'm not normal, aren't I?" Naruto asked, earning a glare from Iruka. After a stagnant pause, Iruka spoke again.

"You should still be in the hospital, though," Iruka said, defeated.

"Don't worry; I'm planning on going there a little later."

Iruka smirked as he thought of something. He immediately started to tease Naruto. "Why? Are you going to visit your girlfriend?" Iruka asked with a devious glint in his eye.

Naruto cheeks became a light shade of pink as he began to stutter. "N-no, t-that's not it. I-I'm going to visit the people I know in the hospital, that's all."

"Like Hinata," Iruka said simply, earning a deep, red blush from Naruto.

Naruto noticed something at that moment and started to yell, his calm demeanor blasted away. "Hey, Hinata-chan is **not** my girlfriend!"

"Oh, it's Hinata**-chan**, huh?" Iruka asked teasingly.

"Y-you, you shut up, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled as Iruka laughed heartily.

"Stop laughing!" Naruto yelled in indignation as Iruka's laughs intensified.

"Okay, okay, I'll stop. Come on, I'll go with you," Iruka said between gasps as he regained his composure.

They left Iruka's house and headed for the hospital. Naruto was glaring angrily at Iruka the whole way and Iruka only laughed.

(At the hospital)

Naruto was nervous. Truthfully speaking, Naruto was coming to check on Hinata. Of course, Naruto was stuck looking all over the hospital due to his lie with Iruka.

"_Whose bright idea was it to put all of the genin in different wings of the hospital? Geez, I have to walk a lot today."_

Naruto was able to find Kiba easily. He wasn't able to find Sasuke so he mentally noted to ask the front desk.

Naruto stopped thinking as he approached what was previously his hospital room. Iruka chuckled softly behind him and Naruto shot him a glare. Iruka only tried and failed to suppress his laughter as Naruto opened the door.

As Naruto opened the door, he was relieved to see Hinata on her bed. It was as if he thought Cloud ninja would come and kidnap her during the night. He also saw Kurenai sitting on a stool. She looked up as Naruto and Iruka entered.

"Oh, hello, Naruto-san; I didn't expect you to be up so soon," Kurenai said with a smile.

Naruto was about to speak when Iruka cut in. "It's really nothing, Kurenai-san. Naruto's just here to visit his **girlfriend**," Iruka said, emphasizing the word.

Naruto blushed deeply as Iruka succumbed to another fit of laughter. Kurenai only looked confused as she prompted Naruto to explain.

"I have no idea what he's talking about," Naruto said, recovering from his blush, "I just came to check up on Hinata-chan. She's not my girlfriend. She's a friend who happens to be a girl, but she's not my girlfriend. There's a difference."

"Yeah, sure, Naruto; I'll leave you alone, now. I have to do something at the academy. See you later, Naruto, Kurenai-san," Iruka said as he left the room.

Naruto shot Iruka a glare before waving at him as Kurenai only gave an acknowledgement. Naruto then looked at Hinata with a true smile as Kurenai asked something.

"You like her, don't you?"

Naruto was off-guard at the moment so he hesitated in his response. "O-of course I do, she's my friend."

"That's not what I mean, but I won't prod any further," Kurenai said gently with a smile. She mentally laughed as Naruto blushed.

"_I'll leave him alone for now. I'm pretty sure he could be trusted."_

Inside the room, Naruto was left thinking about Kurenai's question.

"_You like her, don't you?"_

"_Do I like her? She's a friend, but that's all. I like her, but not that way. At least, I think."_

Naruto lingered a little longer before leaving. Naruto couldn't stop thinking about it as he reached the front desk.

"Excuse me, but do you know where I can find Uchiha Sasuke's room?"

"I'm sorry," the attendant said politely, "He is not accepting visitors."

"Naruto, keep it down," a voice said. Naruto turned to see Kakashi walking down the hall.

"_That's right; I need to train for the final matches. I wonder if Kakashi-sensei can help," _Naruto thought before speaking.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei, can you…" Naruto started.

"I'm sorry Naruto. I'm busy. I know what you're going to ask and I can't. However, I found someone else to train you," Kakashi said, interrupting Naruto.

"Yeah, whatever, you're just saying that because you want to train Sasuke. Anyway, who did you get to train me?"

"I'm going to train you," a voice said from behind Naruto. He turned and looked as his jaw dropped to the ground.

"AH, you're going to let super-perv here train me! How do I train when this guy's weaker than me?"

"He's…a super-perv?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah, he even fell for my Haremu no Jutsu!"

"Haremu no Jutsu…?" Kakashi asked again.

"Yeah, you see, it was a few months ago when…mmph mmph mmph"

"Mmph mmph mmph? What are you…," Kakashi asked, but he was cut short when he looked and saw Ebisu restraining Naruto's mouth.

"Listen up," Ebisu said softly to Naruto, "I'll teach you anything you want. Just don't mention that."

"Do you promise? You can't back down later," Naruto said back at the same volume. Ebisu nodded as Kakashi spoke again.

"So, obviously, you know each other."

"Yes, we do!" Ebisu said quickly as Naruto grumbled.

"Yeah, I know him. But, why did you pick such a loser to be my teacher?"

"Loser indeed; if it weren't for Kakashi's request, I would never teach you!"

Ebisu and Naruto started a heated argument that lasted for about 30 seconds before Kakashi stopped it.

"Both of you; stop it," Kakashi said, gaining their attention.

"Also, Naruto," Kakashi continued, "Among the three genin in our squad, you're the weakest at the basics. Listen to Ebisu-sensei and get them right."

"Hold on, Kakashi-sensei; why do I come up short? I'm loads better than Sakura and Sasuke!"

Kakashi only shrugged and signaled to Ebisu. Ebisu obtained some sheets of paper and began to explain.

"Now, Naruto, upon obtaining information from Kakashi-sensei and analyzing it, I have determined that your chakra control is your weakest point. Let me explain."

Naruto looked at the papers that Ebisu showed him and blanked out as Ebisu droned on and on, saying that his ninjutsu casting is atrocious and stuff like that. Naruto thought as Ebisu spoke.

"_Geez, does Kakashi-sensei really think this low of me? I'm not that bad. I'm probably as good as Sasuke at chakra molding."_

Naruto started to pay attention as Ebisu finished.

"…The figures show your differences, but they may be slightly exaggerated, but you, Naruto, produce too much chakra and expend too much energy. Also, your technique initiation is unstable."

"You're right. You are exaggerating. Kakashi-sensei, have you forgotten Wave Country that easily?" Naruto asked with an emotionless stare.

Kakashi widened his visible eye and remembered what he did. Naruto continued.

"I thought so. By the way, I can do Bunshin no Jutsu just fine, thank you very much."

Naruto then performed the seals and created three clones instantly. Ebisu and Kakashi were shocked.

"Anyway, I really don't have a problem, here. I'll go with Ebisu-sensei," Naruto said.

Kakashi left soon after as Ebisu and Naruto walked out of the hospital. They spoke as Ebisu led Naruto to wherever they were going.

"So, how's Konohamaru-kun?" Naruto asked with a hint of concern.

Ebisu spoke after thinking for a little bit. "Konohamaru-sama is doing just fine. I think I have you to thank for that. You've saved both Sandaime-sama and I a lot of grief. He's really taking training seriously, now."

"That's good," Naruto said as an awkward silence came between them.

Ebisu said something after about 5 minutes. "So, why did you agree to have me as your sensei?"

Naruto smiled before answering. "I figured that you changed since last time since I helped you out on the Konohamaru "problem", if you will. It seems I guessed correctly."

Ebisu looked surprised as they arrived at their destination. Naruto spoke again. "So, is this where you're going to teach me?"

"Indeed," Ebisu said in response as he walked towards an open spring.

"So, what are we going to do?" Naruto asked calmly.

"We're going to walk on water," Ebisu said with a smirk as Naruto gave a confused look. Ebisu continued.

"Kakashi-sensei has already told me that you have completed the tree-climbing exercise. Now, we're taking it to the next level. For tree-climbing, you had to focus a set amount of chakra on your feet to stick to the tree and maintain it to stay on the tree. Since a tree is stationary, all you have to do is keep your feet on the tree like a suction cup. In water-walking, however, you must emit a tiny amount of chakra and constantly adjust it while you walk to adjust to the water."

"I don't see what you mean," Naruto said.

"Let me just show you," Ebisu said as he focused his chakra, "First, you gather chakra. Then, you emit a set amount while adjusting it to your weight."

"WHOA; that's awesome!"

By the time he finished, Ebisu was in the center of the hot spring. Naruto was excited to begin as he focused. He stepped out onto the water and…

…fell into the water. About 5 seconds later…

"OUCH! HOT! HOT! HOT!" Naruto shouted as he climbed out the water at a quick speed.

"Did I forget to mention that this water is 60 degrees Centigrade (140 degrees Fahrenheit)? If you keep that up, you'll be steamed and boiled in no time," Ebisu said smugly as Naruto grumbled and tried again.

"_Damn, why can't I get this? I usually have near perfect chakra control. Is it because of that bastard's seal?"_

Naruto was currently floating unsteadily knee-deep in water. Naruto was focusing carefully as he saw something.

"AHH, it's a…!" Naruto shouted before losing focus and falling into the water. Ebisu looked over as soon as Naruto got out of the spring.

Ebisu saw a white-haired man chuckling softly next to one of the women's springs. Ebisu took this badly.

"I have no idea who you are, but I will not allow any lecherous behavior!" Ebisu said before charging towards the man. Naruto watched carefully as a puff of smoke appeared. Suddenly, a tongue come out of the smoke and knocked Ebisu out cold.

"Geez, keep it down. You'll get me busted," the man said as he stood on the source of the tongue; a toad.

"_Who the hell is this stupid pervert? He beat super-perv like he was nothing! Also, why does he look like he's the star of a Kabuki play?" _Naruto thought.

"Hey, who the hell are you?"

"I'm glad you asked!" the man said as Naruto looked in confusion. The man danced atop of the toad. Naruto twitched as he spoke in an egotistical tone. "I am the Sage from atop Mt. Myôboku! I am the master of the frog spirits! I am also known as the Toad Sage!"

Naruto had a large sweat-drop at the back of his head after the introduction. Naruto was still a little peeved at the fact that he knocked out his instructor.

"Hey, Ero-Sennin, this idiot here was supposed to supervise my training! What are you going to do about it!"

"He was interfering with my research so I knocked him out."

"What are you talking about!" Naruto yelled as the man pulled out a book.

"I'm a novelist. I write these," Naruto nearly choked as he saw what the man held.

"Icha Icha Paradaisu (Make-Out Paradise) by Jiraiya"

"That's…"

"Oh, so you've heard of it, huh?"

"That's a dirty book! It makes most of the male Konoha population perverts!"

Jiraiya was now getting annoyed as Naruto continued to yell. "Also, research, my ass; you were just peeping in the women's bath! If you were my age, it could be written off as a prank, but you're an old man! It's clearly criminal for you!"

Jiraiya had had enough by this point. "Shut up, you idiot; I'm not an ordinary pervert! Peeping provides me with inspiration to write my…"

"LIAR," Naruto yelled, cutting Jiraiya off, "Save it for the courtroom; I just want to know what you're going to do about my training!"

"What, you mean the water-walking exercise?" Jiraiya asked before Naruto spoke again.

"Do you know it! If you do, teach me as reparation!"

"I HATE MEN! I ALSO DESPISE JERKS!" Jiraiya shouted.

Naruto shrunk back for a second and thought.

"_As much as I hate sucking up to people, I have to get training."_

"Icha Icha Paradaisu is the best book I ever read…" Naruto stated flatly.

"Save it; I know you can't buy it until you're eighteen. I'm too powerful to be manipulated by a greenhorn," Jiraiya said in response.

"_Oh man; I'm really going to hate this. This is the reason I despise perverts."_

"Oiroke no Jutsu (Sexy Technique)!" Naruto shouted, turning into a pretty, naked woman. Naruto spoke in a sexy, feminine voice.

"How do you like me now?"

"I LIKE YOU A LOT!" Jiraiya shouted, making Oiroke (Sexy) Naruto pull an exasperated look.

"_I have a feeling that most men are susceptible to this technique."_

"What do you call this technique!" Jiraiya asked excitedly as Oiroke Naruto responded.

"I call it Oiroke no Jutsu," Naruto said with a girlish voice.

"You're a genius!" Jiraiya shouted before Naruto spoke again.

"So, are you going to train me?" Oiroke Naruto said with large pouting eyes.

"Yes," Jiraiya said as he turned around, "but, there is something you have to do for me."

"And, what might that be?" Naruto asked in the same girlish voice.

Still turned, Jiraiya responded. "Well, you…you have to …stay in that form whenever you are with me."

Naruto's eyes grew angry as he immediately changed back. He started to yell at Jiraiya again.

"You're just a plain old pervert, Ero-Sennin!"

"No, you're wrong," Jiraiya started, "I'm… a MEGA PERV!"

"_He has no shame…"_

"But, seriously, I'll supervise your training. Try the drill again, brat."

Naruto smiled before walking to the spring again. Naruto thought as he tried to do the exercise again.

"_Focus; I need to concentrate. Balance yourself and keep a constant stream going." _

Naruto lost focus at that moment and he fell into the spring. Naruto yelled again as he flew out of the pool and he landed on the ground. Naruto started to get annoyed.

"AHH, there's no reason to wear these stupid clothes!" Naruto yelled as he pulled off of his jacket, shirt and pants. All Naruto had on is his boxers. Jiraiya interrupted Naruto as he was about to try again.

"Hold on a second, kid. Come over here for a little bit," Jiraiya said as he placed one of his hands behind him.

Naruto looked confused, but reluctantly obeyed. "So, what do you want, Ero-Sennin?"

"Focus your chakra for me," Jiraiya said as Naruto looked confused again.

"Okay then, Ero-Sennin; I really don't see why I have to do this, though," Naruto said as he closed his eyes to focus chakra.

Naruto's seal appeared as Jiraiya examined it closely.

"_So, this is the seal formula for Kyuubi, huh? I see; he used 2 4-point seals to create a Hakke (Eight Trigrams) seal. Any chakra that seeps through the seal will be contained and meshed with Naruto's chakra. It doesn't really surprise me. He did it for the boy's protection."_

Jiraiya continued to examine it when the Gogyô Fûin markings appeared.

"_I see; that's why he's such a screw up in control. Somebody put this 5-point seal on top of the Hakke seal, screwing up the seal's function. The 5-point seal is pretty rough, so, if I had to guess, Orochimaru did it. I might as well help him out."_

"Hey, kid, raise your arms for a bit," Jiraiya said to the kid in front off him as 5 flames appeared on the fingertips of his hidden hand.

Naruto continued to focus chakra as he did so and spoke. "Geez, Ero-Sennin, you really like giving orders, huh? Why do you want me to do…?"

Jiraiya thrust his hidden hand forward in the middle of Naruto's statement. He hit the 5-point seal with the flames on his hand as he shouted out the technique name.

"Gogyô Kaiin!"

Naruto flew back 5 feet and hit the ground roughly. He got up relatively quickly and started to yell.

"Hey, what the hell did you do that for!" Naruto yelled as he stomped up to Jiraiya.

He just brushed off the outburst and spoke. "Relax; I just hit some points to relax you. Just try again."

"Yeah, sure you did, Ero-Sennin."

"_What the hell was that? I can't say I didn't mind the result of that technique, but that really hurt! Seriously, I can't believe he did that! He could have at least told me!" _Naruto thought.

"**_Sure, did you think you would've accepted if he did tell you?" _**a voice asked within Naruto's mind.

"_Well, I guess not. I might as well try that water-walking thing again," _Naruto thought in response, oblivious to the odd voice. He steeped onto the spring. Naruto widened his eyes at the results.

He was standing easily on the water. He didn't even need to focus.

"Wow; I don't know what's going on, but I sure like what you did, Ero-Sennin!"

Jiraiya only smiled as he thought.

"_It's probably time for him to learn how to use Kyûbi's chakra."_

"Hey, kid, let's save the fun for tomorrow. I'll drop this idiot," Jiraiya said as he picked up Ebisu, "back where I'm staying. Meet me here tomorrow, okay?"

Naruto only nodded as he rushed off. Naruto began to think as he rushed anxiously for his swordsmanship lesson with Hayate.

"_This is great! This means I won't have to come up with an excuse later because I was late for the lesson!"_

"**_Did you expect to train that long?" _**a voice asked as Naruto continued to move.

"_Well, yeah; I usually do," _Naruto said; keeping up his mental conversation with who he thought was his inner self.

"**_I see. I hope you know where you're going. You didn't even look at the address Hayate gave you," _**the voice said from Naruto's mind.

Naruto stopped in his tracks as he dug in his pocket. Naruto looked at the address and smiled as he realized he was going the right way. Naruto continued to run until he reached a secluded house surrounded in trees. Naruto noticed that the trees were covered in slash marks. Naruto began to read the swordsmanship scrolls again to refresh his memory. Naruto got a sword from one of his scrolls and practiced the stances and strokes that the scrolls showed.

Naruto went through all of the stances and strokes within the hour. Naruto summoned his other blade and tried to incorporate the strokes with two blades with great difficulty. Hayate arrived moments before the final stroke of one of the forms.

"The art of the twin blades are reliant on speed. Power is greatly reduced with the addition of another weapon and control is highly reduced. You must increase your speed and your rate of attack to make up the difference. Also, you must master one blade before attempting to wield two. You were doing a good job for a beginner, though," Hayate said as he walked out from behind a tree. Naruto faced Hayate as he spoke again.

"Now, before we start, let me see your swords."

Naruto skeptically gave him the blades and Hayate examined them carefully before speaking again. "These are Wave Country blades, am I correct?"

Naruto nodded as Hayate continued. "These blades are highly damaged. What did you do with them?"

"I only used them once after I got them. I used them in the Forest of Death to kill two giant snakes," Naruto said in response.

"Didn't you use them during your fight with that Kiba kid?"

"No, that was a clone in disguise."

"Where did you get these blades, then?"

"I took them from a couple of idiots who attacked my client in Wave Country. I've had these blades for about a month now."

"I see. Well, I have to say this. The person who made these blades really sucked at their art. These things need to be re-forged before you can even think of using them outside training. I'll see where you can get these swords fixed up later. For now, I need you to do some warm-up exercises."

Naruto did as he was instructed. Naruto ran many laps around Hayate's large house and punched trees and other things to increase his strength. Naruto then practiced the stances again with Hayate fixing up Naruto's nearly invisible flaws. Naruto finished up sometime in the afternoon. If he had to guess, it would be around 5:00.

"Okay then, now, I'll show you the place to get your swords fixed up. I suppose you would want to personalize your blades?"

Naruto nodded vigorously as Hayate thought. _"He is just like him; enthusiastic and determined to be a great shinobi. I remember when you asked Jiraiya-sensei to help you find a good place to learn how to re-forge your swords."_

Hayate led Naruto to a medium sized, two-story house with a sign out front. It had the words "Higarashi Weapon Shop" on it. Naruto recognized the name, but he couldn't but his finger on it.

"_Higarashi; I've heard that somewhere. Where have I heard that name?" _Naruto thought as they walked into the shop.

"Welcome to the Higarashi Weapon Shop! How may I help you?" a cheerful voice asked as Naruto looked up. Naruto widened his eyes as he recognized the source of the voice.

"Higarashi Tenten-san; is that you?" Naruto asked as Tenten recognized the orange person in front of her.

"Naruto-san, what are you doing here? Did you want to buy a weapon or something?" Tenten asked in response.

Naruto opened his mouth to respond when Hayate spoke up. "Actually, Naruto-san came to learn how to forge weaponry. Is your mother available?"

Tenten looked at Hayate and nodded vigorously before heading into the back room. Hayate turned to face Naruto.

"Higarashi Keiko is a very generous and skilled woman. She is kind but fair and she is among the best of the weapon forgers in the village. She'll teach you well. Let me do the talking."

At that moment, a woman walked into the room. Her brown hair fell down to her waist and she wore a pink dress, similar to Sakura's. She had hazel eyes and she smiled as she saw Hayate.

"Hayate-kun, how have you been? I haven't seen you for a long time now."

"Oh, I've been well, Keiko-chan. How are you? I see that your shop has been flourishing," Hayate said with a small smile. Naruto became confused as the conversation continued. Naruto just stepped away as Tenten approached him. Naruto asked a question as she got within earshot.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Naruto asked. Tenten smirked as she responded.

"Oh, it's okay. Hayate-san and Okaa-san (Mother) used to be teammates."

"Oh, so that's why they're speaking so pleasantly," Naruto said before he thought of something. "Say, do you know who the third member of their squad was?"

Tenten shrugged before answering. "I don't know. I never asked. It isn't Otou-san (Father). He was a civilian before Okaa-san married him."

By this time, Naruto got curious and started to listen to Hayate's conversation.

"Okay, that's enough with the pleasantries. I know you didn't come here to chat," Keiko said.

"Indeed, I came to ask you a favor. I have a student who wants to learn how to forge weaponry," Hayate said in response.

"Oh, really," Keiko replied, excited, "who is it?"

"He's over there," Hayate said, pointing in Naruto's direction, "Naruto is interested in the art of forging weaponry."

"Naruto; is he…" Keiko started.

"Yes, that's right. He's…" Hayate said as Naruto listened closely as Naruto heard another voice.

"Naruto-san, are you awake!"

Naruto was suddenly shaken as he turned to Tenten. As she stopped, Naruto was a little dizzy. Naruto spoke to Tenten as soon as he regained his composure.

"Sorry Tenten-san; what were you saying?"

"I was asking," Tenten said, annoyed, "if you're nervous about your match with Neji."

"Oh, yeah, I'm ready. I could take him right now, if I wanted to!" Naruto shouted confidently as Tenten smirked.

"Okay, but I'm warning you; he's really strong. He could take Lee and me at the same time and whip us both."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. I'm saying that I could kick his butt into next week right now. Imagine how capable I'll be at the end of the month," Naruto responded as Keiko walked over to him.

With a smile, she spoke. "So, Naruto-kun; Hayate-kun says you want to learn the art of the forge."

Naruto nodded vigorously as he was led into the back room. He could see Keiko wave as Hayate left. Naruto saw the area where the weapons were forged. Keiko retreated behind a curtain and Naruto stayed back since it was obvious that she was changing out of her dress. Naruto looked around while Keiko changed.

"Wow," Naruto said as he saw piles of metal and the various tools to make weaponry. He also saw a display case of two beautiful weapons. Naruto looked closely to see that it was a set of small staffs covered in designs and summoning seals. The designs seemed to be seared onto the weapon and it looked like a phoenix. He examined the seals that said various words such as "100 kunai" and "sickle".

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Keiko in a short sleeved shirt and pants, similar to Tenten's outfit. She began to speak as she looked at the staffs.

"Those were my best staffs. I made each seal and design myself. I could use a barrage of weapons by merely channeling chakra into it and swinging the staff. These were the weapons that inspired Tenten to become a weapons specialist."

Naruto looked at Keiko as she adopted a blank look. She continued to speak. "I remember the times when I beat him half to death with these things. He always emerged from the weapons with a weary smile. It's really too bad."

Naruto got even more confused at this and spoke.

"Keiko-san," Naruto said. She didn't respond. Naruto poked her gently and spoke again.

"Keiko-san," Naruto said again as Tenten entered the room. She approached Naruto and held up three fingers. She started to put down the fingers. When she only held up one finger, she drew in a breath. Naruto did the same. Tenten put down the last finger and they both released their breaths.

"OKAA-SAN!" Tenten yelled.

"KEIKO-SAN!" Naruto yelled at the same time.

Keiko seemed to snap back to reality as she looked around. Tenten smiled as Keiko stood and smiled meekly.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I get that way sometimes. Anyway, let's get started," Keiko said as she walked towards the pile of raw metal.

Naruto followed as he listened to Keiko's instructions. "Now, you may call me Keiko-san or Keiko-sensei. If you call me Higarashi-san, it will get pretty confusing since our family lives here. When you forge a weapon, you need metal. Here is where you start. You can't use this metal for forging yet because the impurities within the metal will make the weapon brittle and weak. To remove the impurities, you have to use your chakra to separate the impurities from the pure metal."

Keiko placed her hands over a large, flat piece of metal around 2 feet long. Her hands glowed blue as a silver substance rose from the piece of metal. Naruto watched in amazement as the silver substance collected in her hands. The silver substance collected into an orb about 6 inches in diameter when she finished." She gave the orb to Naruto and spoke again.

"That's the pure metal. The rest that's on the floor is the impurities."

"Are you serious! All of that is going to waste!" Naruto said as he pointed on the remains on the floor.

"Yes, the remains are useless. There is enough to use in that orb, though. That orb is enough to make a few kunai or a good dagger. I'll let you practice how to do that. Focus your chakra in that orb and memorize the way the metal feels. Then, later, I'll let you try on the impure metal," she said as she began to leave the room.

Naruto was left to practice. He was able to pick up the feel of the steel easily. Naruto put down the orb and picked up a small piece of raw metal about six inches long. Naruto focused his chakra and felt the pure metal in the slab. The problem was he couldn't pull it out.

He tried to do everything with his chakra short of taking the slab and throwing it across the room. He pushed, pulled and tried to move it, but he couldn't do it. Naruto was getting fed up as he picked up the slab and stood up. He was about to throw the metal when he heard clapping.

Naruto looked at the doorway and saw Keiko leaning against the doorframe clapping softly. She then went over to Naruto and spoke.

"You need to use more force to take out the metal. By what you were doing, I think you've got the general idea. I'll let you take this piece home so you can practice," Keiko said as she led Naruto out of the room. Naruto started to leave and he was about to say farewell when he was interrupted by Keiko's stern voice.

"Now, where do you think you're going?"

Naruto was about to answer when Keiko spoke again in the same stern tone. "You're staying for dinner. It's much too late for you to go home and cook something yourself."

It was a statement, not a request. Naruto looked frightened when Keiko suddenly started to laugh. Naruto laughed with her as he went up to Keiko. She climbed a flight of stairs and went into a dining room where the entire Higarashi family was sitting. A man sat at the head of the table and Tenten sat to his left. A young boy sat next to Tenten and there was an empty seat to the right of Tenten's father and another empty seat next to that one. Each person and empty seat had a plate of food in front of it.

Naruto looked surprised as Keiko sat down in the empty seat. Naruto just stood, confused about the scene before him. He was only able to say one thing.

"Um, what do I do?"

(Meanwhile)

"Impressive," a voice said as the mangled body of Dosu lay on top of a building, "So, that was his true self, huh?

"But, why do you seem pleased about the death of one of your Sound ninja?" Baki, Gaara's sensei, replied back.

"It's okay; his usefulness ran out a long time ago," a voice that was identified as Kabuto said, "In fact, I've already been given the order to capture Sasuke. I've screwed up in the matter, though. They know I'm a Sound agent, now."

"What?" Baki asked, "If they discover the fact that we're meeting you here, our plans will be ruined! You really are a fool, even if you are Orochimaru's right hand man."

"Actually," Kabuto started, "I wanted to be caught to see the reaction of Konoha. I still have a plan, though."

"Anyway, Sand will not make a move until the end. Kazekage-sama has commanded it."

"I understand," Kabuto said, drawing a scroll from his jacket, "Here are our plans. Let your subordinates know as soon as possible."

Kabuto started to walk away as he spoke. "We're done here. By the way, I'll take care of the clean-up," Kabuto said with an evil gaze.

"No, allow me," Baki said with a similar gaze, "One little mouse is no problem."

Baki went off as Hayate started to run. It wasn't long before Baki caught up.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Proctor. Isn't it a little late for you to be out here alone?" Baki asked.

"Well, I guess I have no choice but to fight you," Hayate said as he gripped his sword. He made a half-seal with his free hand and rushed forward, drawing his blade. There were suddenly three of them as they rushed forward. One of them was set to slash from above; another was set to slash from below and one was in the air, set to stab Baki in the chest. Hayate shouted the name of the technique as he came within striking distance.

"Konoha Ryû: Mikazuki no Mai! (Konoha Style: Dance of the Crescent Moon)"

Baki was hit in the shoulder by the real Hayate as a mysterious force destroyed the other two. Baki smirked as he spoke.

"You just used the Dance of the Crescent Moon, huh? You are quite the skilled person," Baki said as he raised two fingers on his right hand, "However; it is an obvious task to block a material blade. Wind blades are impossible to stop."

Hayate held a shocked expression as Baki thrust his fingers forward…

(Back at the Higarashi Residence)

The Higarashi family seemed confused as Naruto stood at the doorway. Keiko then suddenly smacked her head with her hand as she remembered something.

"_I am such an idiot! He obviously hasn't experienced this! What was I thinking!"_

"I'm sorry, Naruto-kun; you sit here," Keiko said as she patted the empty seat next to her. Naruto slowly sat on the chair as if the chair was armed with a bomb. He sat on the edge of his seat as the Higarashi family said grace. Naruto was still on guard as he followed suit.

After a collective "Itadakimasu" from the members of the family and a muttered "Itadakimasu" from Naruto, they started to eat. Naruto picked at his food and spoke up.

"Um, what are we doing?" Naruto asked. Keiko gave a small, sad smile as she responded.

"We're having dinner, silly. Don't say you don't eat dinner at your house."

"Well, I do, but it's once in a while. I usually don't have enough food to give myself three meals a day so I eat breakfast and something in the afternoon; it's something in between lunch and dinner, but I didn't name it," Naruto said in response.

Naruto ate slowly as a dark cloud descended on the table. The family ate in silence as Naruto finally took a bite. Naruto widened his eyes as he tasted the best thing he has ever tasted since the first time he had ramen. Naruto broke into a smile and started to eat faster. This action seemed to loosen up the atmosphere and small conversations bubbled up. Naruto didn't eavesdrop. He was actually busy talking to the small boy across from him.

"Hello, what's your name?" the kid asked.

Naruto smiled before responding. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! What's your name?" he said confidently.

"I'm Higarashi Toya. How are you?" Toya asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just taking lessons from your mother. I'm learning how to make weaponry."

"Are you really? I'll learn how when I'm 11. I'm 9 now."

"I see. Are you in the academy?"

"Yeah, I am," Toya said as he sullenly looked down and picked at his food. Naruto noticed and asked about it.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong."

"Yeah, sure," Naruto said, disbelieving every word. "Now, seriously, what's wrong?"

Toya looked up at that point and looked Naruto over for a bit. He seemed as if he was looking for any excuse to not tell him. Naruto held his gentle smile and tried to radiate a warm, inviting feeling.

"I'm just not very good at anything at school. Iruka-sensei keeps on picking on me."

"Oh, really now," Naruto said, "For some reason, I don't believe you."

Toya got angry at that point and started to speak in a cold tone. "Look you; I'm not good at anything. My ninjutsu sucks, I can't do genjutsu and my taijutsu stinks. Also, I'm not good at throwing weapons like Tenten-nee-chan. Also, Iruka-sensei keeps on calling me even if he knows that I don't know the answer."

"Now, now, Toya-kun, you should give Iruka-sensei some credit. He wants you work hard so you get good at the things you suck at and he thinks that a slight embarrassment will motivate you to do so," Naruto said as Toya's eyes widened.

"Also," Naruto said, "even if you are dead-last in class, you can still be a good ninja. I mean, look at me; I was dead-last in my class and I'm on my way to the Chûnin exam Finals."

Toya was shocked as he looked at Naruto. He began to speak in an awed voice. "Were you really dead-last? I never would have thought that!"

After that, Toya and Naruto talked animatedly. The Higarashi family smiled as Naruto spoke with the child. As they finished (Naruto and Toya finished last since they were talking so much), Naruto bid farewell to the Higarashi family after Keiko told Naruto to come back the next day.

Naruto rushed across the rooftops and went quickly towards what he called home. Naruto saw an odd sight as he went across a particular rooftop. Naruto saw a body that he identified as Dosu, dead, covered in a large scratch on the roof that looked like claw marks. Naruto started to head to the Hokage tower to report this when he saw another body. Naruto immediately identified the body as Hayate and he noticed that he was still breathing softly.

Naruto carefully picked him up and headed to the hospital. Naruto used a Shadow Clone on use Kousei no Jutsu on the way.

3 minutes later, Naruto burst through the doors of the hospital.

"I need help! Hayate-sensei is heavily injured! He needs help NOW!" Naruto yelled indignantly as doctors rushed towards him. Doctors took Hayate and placed him on a stretcher. Naruto didn't fail to notice the glares that said, "You did this, didn't you?"

Naruto sighed in relief as he went towards the Hokage's house. Naruto got there relatively quickly and contacted the Third. Naruto reported the scene on the building quickly and left as quickly as he came. Naruto drowsily opened the door to his house. Naruto then sat on his bed and started to change into his clothed. When he finished, he was interrupted by his inner voice.

"_**I think it's time for you to change your weights, don't you?"**_

"_I suppose so. I'll do it before I go to sleep. I tend to forget these things," _Naruto responded as he removed his weights.

Naruto removed the seal on the weights and replaced it to give him a total of a 40 pound increase. Naruto replaced the weights on his body. Naruto swore that he heard an evil chuckle on the back of his mind as he drifted off into a slumber.

(The Next Day)

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!" was heard the next morning. The source of the voice was currently in bed, lying down. I know what you're asking.

"Why doesn't he/she get up?"

You see, that's the problem. He couldn't.

Naruto was currently lying on his bed, attempting to move his limbs. As soon as he lifted his arm up an inch, it fell back down. As soon as he tried to swing a leg, it was pulled down.

Naruto was stuck.

He was able to move a little easier about an hour later, but by this time, he was probably late. Naruto ran to the meeting place as fast as he could as Naruto heard an evil chuckle. Naruto disregarded it as he made it to the place where Jiraiya told him to meet. Naruto arrived as quickly as he could and he made it only a minute late. Jiraiya was facing a bush and peering through it to see a group of women frolicking in a river. Naruto caught his breath as he tried to speak.

"He-Hey; E-Ero-Sennin, are you going to teach me anything?"

"Yes," Jiraiya said, keeping his eyes on the women below.

"HEY! I'M OVER HERE! ERO-SENNIN, AT LEAST LOOK AT ME!" Naruto shouted as Jiraiya let out a perverted chuckle.

"Seriously, are you going to teach me anything! Show me the move, already!"

Jiraiya walked up to Naruto and started to speak.

"Before I show you, I need to ask you something. Have you ever sensed another chakra within you?"

Naruto was deep in thought for a moment before answering. "You know, I have. There were times when I felt this sudden rush of energy. I don't really remember much, but I do remember having monstrous strength. It did feel different, though. If I had to describe it, I would say that my normal chakra is blue and the weird chakra is red."

"I see," Jiraiya said, "Can you try and mold it?"

Naruto tried to mold it, but he only got his normal chakra. He said so.

"You really have no talent, huh?"

"SHUT UP! JUST BECAUSE I HAVE THE CHAKRA DOESN'T MEAN I UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE IT!" Naruto yelled.

"Yeah, but you need to know how to use it. There are some moves that need nothing but an extreme amount of chakra. Your training has been centered on control, but your stamina is incredible so you don't need to worry about it. You need to work on different exercises; exercises that increase your chakra and the maximum amount of chakra released."

"Yeah, yeah, what kind of moves are you talking about?" Naruto asked, irritated.

"One of them is the one I'm about to teach you; Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique).

"Are you serious!" Naruto asked excitedly, "What am I going to be able to summon?"

"Frogs, of course," Jiraiya said.

"Okay, I've heard enough. Teach it to me! This is going to be so cool!"

"But, before I teach you," Jiraiya continued, ignoring Naruto's statement, "You have to exhaust your chakra in the water-walking exercise."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS!" Naruto yelled in indignation, "First of all, I could die if it goes wrong. Second of all, can't you find another way to exhaust chakra!"

"No, do the water-walking," Jiraiya said sternly as he paid attention to the frolicking women. A perverted giggle emerged from the bush a moment later as Naruto stepped out onto the water.

"_I'll showyou, Ero-Sennin. You shouldn't mess with Uzumaki Naruto."_

Naruto placed a leaf on his head and went into the middle of the lake. Naruto did thirteen seals and pointed a charged finger towards Jiraiya's backside. Naruto whispered the name of the technique and fired a bolt.

"Denkô Dangan no Jutsu"

The bolt flew swiftly and accurately. It hit its intended target, Jiraiya's butt.

"OW, YOU BRAT," Jiraiya yelled as Naruto continued to float on the water, "Okay, you idiot, if you insist so much, let's spar!"

"Spar, why?" Naruto asked.

"First, it's a great way to burn off chakra. Second, it's a way for me to measure your current skills. Third, I get to train you in taijutsu. Fourth and finally, I get to pay you pack for that butt trick."

"Okay then, let's go," Naruto said as he charged forward. Naruto charged his fist with chakra and prepared to attack. As he was two feet away from Jiraiya, he thrust his hand forward. Jiraiya quickly blocked with his right arm. Naruto released the chakra in his hand and pulled back. Jiraiya's arm went limp as Naruto looked at his hand.

"_Why is there blue sparks around my hand? Also, why is Ero-Sennin's arm limp like that?" _Naruto thought as Jiraiya shook his arm. Jiraiya was confused for a second as he thought.

"_What happened? I couldn't use my arm for a second there. Maybe this kid is more talented than I thought," _Jiraiya thought as he dropped back into a defensive stance. Naruto was still looking at his hand and he found something.

"_I'm missing a shot. There are three shots left and I only used one. Maybe…I used one when my fist was charged. Maybe…I'll be able to use it better. I wonder what would happen if I released my chakra on impact," _Naruto thought as he charged forward again. As he rushed forward, he thought. _"Okay, I have to do this carefully. Surround your fist in chakra and release a shot into the chakra field. Throw you punch and…"_

"WHAM"

Naruto punched and released his chakra as Jiraiya blocked with his arm again and he sailed over the bush he was just looking through. Naruto was shocked at the results and he watched as Jiraiya fell into the river below. The women who were playing in the river scattered and screamed while Jiraiya wasn't coming up. Naruto panicked.

"_Oh shit; I must have temporarily paralyzed him with that punch. He can't come up for air! I have to help him, even if he is a pervert. Maybe an electrical shock will help."_

Naruto pointed down into the river with one of his fingers and fired a lightning bolt. Naruto hoped that it would work as the river was suddenly charged with electricity. The women were long gone. Naruto watched in anticipation as Jiraiya hopped out of the river, surprised at being electrocuted for the fourth time that day.

"AHHH! Damn it brat; when I get up there I'm going to kill you!" Jiraiya shouted angrily as he stood at the foot of the waterfall. Jiraiya puffed away in a column of smoke and he reappeared next to Naruto. Jiraiya then proceeded to kick the shit out of Naruto for electrocuting him four times. During the one-sided fight, Naruto learned a few things about Taijutsu defensive stances.

After about 45 minutes, Naruto was close to chakra exhaustion. Naruto was almost dead on his feet as Jiraiya spoke to Naruto.

"Now that you're almost out of chakra, I can teach you the move. I'll do it first."

Jiraiya then bit his thumb and spread his blood on his right hand. He then performed 5 seals quickly and slammed his hand on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu," he said as a familiar frog appeared within a puff of smoke.

"Hey, that's the same frog as yesterday!" Naruto shouted as the frog handed him a scroll.

"Huh, what's this?" Naruto asked as he opened the scroll.

"It is the scroll you need to sign before you will be able to summon. The Yondaime and I both signed it before you," Jiraiya said in response. Naruto looked down at the two previous signatures and he thought.

"_So, that was the Fourth's name; Kazama Arashi. That's a nice name for a Hokage. Now that I think of it, it's going to be pretty cool summoning something that a previous Hokage did, especially the Fourth."_

Naruto bit his finger and he signed his name in blood. He then spread the blood to each of his fingers and pressed it to the paper, imitating the previous signatures. Jiraiya smiled as he did so.

"_So, the legacy of the toads continues, huh? This is going to be good," _Jiraiya thought.

"Okay, kid, now, try it out. The seals are I, Inu, Tori, Saru, and Hitsuji (Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, and Ram)."

Naruto, excited, immediately did so, pumping as much chakra as he could into the technique. A small puff of smoke appeared and Jiraiya pulled an exasperated look.

"_A tadpole; he really doesn't have any talent."_

Jiraiya, at that point, turned back towards the bush since he heard the women return from wherever they went. Naruto could hear perverted chuckles as he tried again, and again.

About an hour later, Naruto could feel something weird. Naruto felt different for a moment and he used the technique. Naruto slammed his hand on the ground and a larger puff of smoke appeared.

"HI," something said from the smoke. Naruto immediately stopped the small frog from speaking and he whispered.

"Hi there; I'm sorry, but can you keep it down? I don't want Ero-Sennin to know I can do this. I'm going to release your mouth now," Naruto said. The frog only smiled and nodded. He then started to speak in a whisper.

"Hi, I'm Gamatora; what's your name?" the small frog asked.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I was testing out Kuchiyose no Jutsu when I summoned you."

"I see; well, it was nice to be summoned. I'll tell you about the Frogs. We Frogs are a pretty large group. Our boss is named Gamabunta and I'm his third son. I have two older brothers, but they are a little bigger than me. I'm the runt, but I'm pretty smart for my age. Do you have any questions for me?"

"That's nice of you to tell me this. Yes, I do. Is there any special requirement that I have to fulfill when I summon Gamabunta?"

"I'm glad you asked. I'll tell Daddy about this. Daddy commands respect from his summoners, nothing more. Treat him with great respect and you'll get on his good side really fast. I've heard that he doesn't like that guy over there. His name is Jiraiya, right?"

"Um, yeah, but I just call him Ero-Sennin. It suits him, right?"

Naruto and Gamatora had a few good laughs before Gamatora returned to the summoning plane. Jiraiya, still paying attention to the ladies, didn't hear a thing.

"_Damn, I really feel like placing a big sign over that bush saying 'PERVERT, HIDING IN HERE!'. He really is a Mega Pervert."_

(End Chapter)

A/N: Okay, I'm serious here. Expect major delays, here. I really need to get serious on my homework and I need to finish it before school starts. If I were to make an estimate, I probably won't be updating for about 2 weeks, minimum. I hope you like the chapter. REVIEW OR RABID MONKEYS WILL DEVOUR YOUR SKIN!


	19. Chapter 18: Warmth

A/N: Boredom is killer. I'm typing this in between writing my stuff for school so I hope you like it.

Before I continue, I have to say one thing.

STOP NAGGING ME ABOUT CHANGING THE STORY! I'LL DO IT WHEN I GET TO IT!

I'm sorry about yelling, but I'm getting pretty annoyed. I'll continue the story the way I like it until the big change takes place. It will be soon, trust me.

Anyway, besides the constant "change the story" reviews that were annoying me, I do like the improvements of the reviews.

Now, here are the review responses.

**Setesh: **I will stick to the plotline, but Naruto will have a little more on his hands. I thank you for not nagging me for staying too close.

**VFSNAKE: **Okay, then; in that order; first, Dosu was killed by Gaara, that's right. Secondly, Naruto will try to make a deal with Gamabunta about smashifying the pervert, but you'll see what will happen. Lastly, I love your idea! I'll try to get it in somewhere.

**Nantukoprime: **I'll explain. I was planning a 2-week intermission for me to finish this up in real life before I get back to the story. I wanted to write in a much as possible this time since I wouldn't be writing for a while. Also, to answer your question, Gamatora will not replace Gamakichi. Remember, Gamatora mentioned that he was Gamabunta's third son and he had two older brothers.

**Hybrid thing: **Thanks, I got the idea from **Dragon Man 180. **The sword stances were made up by me, though I haven't explained it in detail. The "Tenten's family" incident was my own design and it gave me an opportunity to express another idea (The, "What's dinner and what are we doing?" idea).

**Saotome Kyuubi: **You know, I haven't thought of it that way. He does have an ANBU lover, doesn't he? Well, it's a good thing that Keiko and Hayate are only close friends, huh? Also, I love twin blades. They are reliant on speed, but speed is deadly; especially in the ninja world. By the way, Denkô Dangan no Jutsu is similar to AD&D's Magic Bullet, but that's not where I got it from. I got the idea while reading a Yu Yu Hakusho Manga. I saw Yusuke's Reigun shots and thought, "Hey, I think I can pull that off." Just then, thunder crashed out my window since I was reading indoors during a thunderstorm. That's where I got the idea for a lightning attack. I get a lot of ideas from the things around me.

**Conan98002: **I like that phrase, too. The best part is I made that up myself! I knew "I can't trust him/her as far as I can throw him/her" was insufficient since Naruto and other ninjas can throw things pretty far. I used "spit" instead of "throw" because I knew that nobody could really spit a person.

**Dragon Man 180: **It was a good idea, but I have to learn how to incorporate it into my story. Now, about your suggestions; I know it's a long range ninjutsu, but I plan to not use it on Gaara. This is why. I see where you're coming from when you say lightning makes sand into glass, but it's really intense heat. Anyway, we know that Naruto is facing Neji next. I have a specific way to beat Neji with the use of Naruto's new techniques, including the one he wasn't able to use on Kiba. It would be nice if Kurenai would teach Naruto a genjutsu, but I think Naruto would be learning too much. Anyway, about the Higarashi family incident, I planned that. That was one of the ideas I wanted to give out to the public in the form of this story. Lastly, about what you said about Arashi, I'm not telling.

**Ecchi-ANBU: **AHH, stop my monkeys! Don't attack the reviewers! Attack the people over there! (Points to crowd of non-reviewers)

**Kitsu Maharu: **I don't think you're too sarcastic. You may be a little on the wacky side, but you're still a great person.

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **It's okay. Thanks for making the effort of checking.

**1-eyed-jack: **Thanks for the support. I like to be flexible, but I don't like to be stepped on, if you know what I mean. Anyway, thank you for your praise, but please don't say, "Believe it!"

**Light of the Demons: **Thank you; the fight took 45 minutes because of Naruto's incredible stamina. For him to be, "dead on his feet," he needed to be really tired. I would have made it longer, but you'll see why I didn't.

**PinoyJas: **Thanks for the review.

**VenomLord: **Thanks for your review. It would spoil everything if I tried to respond effectively to this review, if you know what I mean.

**Silver Warrior: **Naturally, Naruto will learn something about throwing weapons with his time at the Higarashi family.

**Armanstay: **Thanks for your review. I hope I'm able to keep this part up.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **I like to shoot pervert's butt. It is fun, very fun.

**Clone Daniel: **I'm glad you're so patient. I hope I can write more soon, too.

**Anime-Boy07: **It's a good thing I don't have to pull off the monkeys. They are pretty hard to handle.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I do plan to branch off pretty soon. It's really nice that you're one of the kinder ones that say this.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you like them. They are a nice family, huh?

**SekhmetDaCat: **I'll tell you this much: the voice isn't Kyûbi.

**NewSon: **Yes, of course; if you hadn't noticed, he already learned a low-class wind technique. I'll let him learn some more, though.

**ShadowBack: **No problem; I really enjoy writing. Anyway, I had the "eating dinner at another person's house" idea for a while. I was just never able to factor it in until recently.

**Biggestboss: **I'm glad you think so. I think swordsmen are great and I didn't really like when Hayate died so early. Also, Naruto "felt something weird" which allowed him to summon Gamatora. You weren't a bastard in your last review. You're only a bastard reviewer if you flame me for no reason.

**Amadeus: **Read the PM I sent you if you didn't already. It explains everything.

**Causeiambetta: **I'm really sorry for blowing up at you like that, but I got my point across. You were only trying to help.

**WarShadow: **Indeed, he is. Gamakichi is Gamatora's older brother. Thanks for the tip about the anonymous reviews. You were the only person to address that.

**Kyuubidaime: **Oh, maybe that'll happen. You'll see what I've planned.

**Dairokkan: **I don't want to say it. Read my little "Reviewer's Warning" below.

**Kyuubi-Dono: **I'm glad you liked that little phrase. It was something I added in because I could.

**Motto: **See the "Reviewer's Warning.

**Arganaut: **You'll see what I come up with. I have a few things planned.

**Lochar: **I said two weeks minimum. I am posting it exactly on the two week mark, though.

**Reviewer's Warning:** Please leave a review that's actually worth something. I really hate it when I get an absolutely useless review. When I say useless, I mean a review that only has one short sentence or less. Thank you for listening/reading.

Disclaimer: **OG:** I've decided that Vivian would be the best for the job. Here you go, Vivian.

Vivian: Thanks; hi, I'm Vivian. If you say **Omegaguardian **owns Naruto, I'll personally go over to where you live and trample you. Is that okay?

Now, for the 19th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"

(Chapter Begins)

Naruto left the pervert a few hours later and arrived at the Higarashi residence. Keiko taught him how to put more power in his chakra and he was able to take out bits of metal from the slab. Naruto practiced for a few hours and left around 4:00 PM.

Naruto left from the Higarashi residence and visited the hospital. He needed to see Hayate about his training since he was in the hospital. Naruto asked for the room and he went up 2 flights of stairs to get to the room of his sensei. Naruto entered the room to see a purple-haired girl holding on to Hayate's hand. The girl looked up, stood abruptly and pulled out a kunai.

"You've come to finish the job, huh? You'll have to get past me to get to him, though," the lady said in a commanding and accusatory tone. Naruto was too shocked to move as she charged forward. Naruto's eyes clamped shut as he waited for the woman to hit him when.

"Wait, Yugao-chan," Hayate said with a raspy voice which worried Naruto. The woman, who Naruto obviously presumed was Yugao, dropped her kunai and rushed towards him.

"Hayate-kun, are you okay? You should rest," Yugao said as Hayate was sent into a series of coughs. Naruto waited as Hayate spoke.

"It is fine, Yugao-chan, he was the one who brought me to the hospital after e found me injured. I should be thanking him."

Yugao looked at Naruto gratefully as she grasped Hayate's hand firmly once more. She patted his hand a few times as Naruto felt it was safe to walk over. Yugao spoke without taking his eyes off of Hayate.

"In that case, I'm sorry. I actually have to thank you for saving my fiancé. I'll find a way to repay you, I promise," Yugao said with a gentle tone which was the complete opposite of the threatening voice he heard from her not 5 minutes ago. Naruto smiled and responded.

"Oh, it's okay. You don't need to do that. I just like helping people when they need it." Naruto said as he placed his hands behind his head and grinned. Yugao faced him and smiled.

Naruto noticed Hayate's sword on the floor and he was reminded of his purpose.

"I'm sorry for this, Hayate-sensei, but I need to know what I need to do for training. You don't have to leave the hospital. You can just write it down and I'll take care of the rest," Naruto said, careful to not aggravate the woman beside him.

"Actually," Hayate said weakly, "I've arranged for someone to help you with that."

Naruto inwardly sighed. _"Oh great, now another teacher ditches me. First it was Kakashi-sensei and now Hayate-sensei wants to get rid of me, too. The only reason I wasn't that mad at Kakashi-sensei was because I knew he wasn't that attentive anyway. Besides, I'll pay him back sometime."_

Naruto inwardly snickered at the thought as Hayate continued. "I'll continue your training personally when I recover," Naruto perked up at this, "But, for now, Keiko-chan will resume your training while I'm incapable. She is slightly less skilled in the blade than I am, but she will teach you well."

Naruto smiled brightly and stayed true to his nature as his excitement poured out of him. Yugao chuckled slightly as Hayate formed a smirk. Naruto left the room moments later, leaving the couple alone. Naruto went to visit Kiba to see that he was released. He then went to Hinata's room and saw Kurenai sitting next to her bed as she was last time. Kurenai looked around and saw Naruto and Naruto alone. She smiled brightly as Naruto approached. She stood quickly and surprised Naruto with a single motion.

Kurenai was hugging him. Naruto felt warm for some reason and he also felt oddly comfortable.

"Uh, Kurenai-sensei, what are you doing?"

"Sorry, Naruto-kun, but I wasn't able to thank you last time. Iruka was with you and I wanted to do this when it was only you."

Kurenai released Naruto from the hug and Naruto, still confused, was already missing the warmth. She continued to speak as she sat down.

"I wanted to thank you for saving Hinata. I may have only known her for a few months, but she's like the daughter I've never had. I don't have any family left and she's the closest to one that I have."

Naruto was curious about what she did rather than why she did it. The motion was simple, but it was also warm and comforting. A person could feel totally safe in the feeling of one of those, but he didn't know what it was.

Naruto pushed this thought to the back of his mind as he saw Hinata shift in her sleep. Kurenai spoke.

"She's just sleeping now. You came at a pretty good time. She'll probably wake up tomorrow morning."

Naruto smiled brightly as he squashed the urge to jump up in joy. Naruto turned once more to speak to Kurenai, but she was gone. Naruto shrugged as he took the chair that Kurenai was sitting in before she left. He pulled the chair up to the bed and propped up his head with his arms. Naruto was hearing the mysterious voice again.

"_**What are you doing?"**_

"_I'm just visiting my friend."_

"_**What else are you doing?"**_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_**I mean, why are you staring at her?"**_

"_This isn't staring. I'm just watching."_

"_**Yeah, right; you're staring at the girl."**_

Naruto was indeed staring at Hinata. He was noting the way she wore a contented smile as opposed to the shy one she wore on a daily basis. He was noting the way that she looked, peaceful and serene, as opposed to insecure and unconfident. He was noting the way that she looked. It was different, but he liked it this way. She looked absolutely content and Naruto felt as if he wanted her to smile and be happy all the time.

Naruto brought his hand up to Hinata's and clutched it. Hinata unconsciously brought her other hand to surround his hand.

Naruto suddenly felt the exhaustion of the day's events and fell asleep peacefully.

(The Next Day)

Lavender eyes stayed shut as their owner awakened. She was awake, but she was till drowsy. Her hands were warmer than the rest of her body. She didn't know why, but she felt comfortable just because she was holding that particular object.

Hinata opened her eyes to see a blonde furry wall in front of her eyes. She was confused for a moment as she looked at her hand. She saw the object that she held within her hand which provided the great warmth. She widened her eyes as she finally realized what she was holding and who it belonged to.

Naruto was sleeping peacefully. She sat up, careful to not wake him and looked around. The room was dimly lit with streams of light were filtering through the windows. She instantly recognized the room of the hospital and the fact that the sun was still rising. She then looked back down at Naruto, who was waking up himself. She was still holding Naruto's hand with one of hers as he raised his head from his makeshift pillow made from his arm.

Naruto, still groggy, looked around and made eye contact with Hinata. Both teenagers withdrew their respective hands and blushed deeply. Naruto was the first to speak.

"S-so, Hinata-chan, are you feeling okay, now?" Naruto asked shyly.

"Y-yes, Naruto-kun, I-I think I-I have you to t-thank for that," Hinata said, her normal stutter regaining its place after her long sleep. Naruto and Hinata looked away from each other as a nurse came in. Noticing that Hinata was awake made her smile, but, surprisingly, noticing that Naruto was in the room didn't make the smile vanish. The nurse gently asked Naruto to leave and Naruto was a little surprised by that. Naruto gave one last wave to Hinata as he left. He didn't see Hinata's responding wave or the chuckling nurse.

(Later)

Naruto was getting really annoyed. Despite the great awakening he had this morning, he was getting more pissed by the second.

"_Damn it, that stupid Ero-Sennin is late. Watch, I'm going to electrify him so much, he'll be able to turn on a light bulb by just holding it," _Naruto thought impatiently as he formed the seals for Denkô Dangan no Jutsu.

Hours passed and Naruto started to train by himself. First, Naruto tried to get used to his weights, which were getting pretty heavy.

"_What's going on? I mean, 2 days ago, I'm positive that I only increased it by 10 pounds each. Now, it feels like I increased it by 100 per band!" _

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows as he did various training exercises to get used to the weight. Naruto thought about taking them off, but, for some reason, he couldn't. Naruto ran across the clearing many times to get used to the weight. The problem was, as soon as Naruto got used to the current weight, the bands felt heavier. Naruto eventually stopped and trained in other ways.

He trained with the slab of raw metal and tried to pull out pure metal. He practiced the water-walking exercise with a leaf on his head, and most importantly, he used a few trees to practice his aim for when Jiraiya showed up. The problem was…

…he never did.

Naruto was extremely annoyed as he stormed out of the area and headed towards the Higarashi residence. Imagine his rage when he was met with a white-haired man yelling one thing.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Jiraiya yelled as he whacked Naruto on the head.

"I'M LATE? I WENT TO THE MEETING PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND YOU DIDN'T SHOW UP!" Naruto yelled back.

"I SAID THAT YOU NEEDED TO MEET HERE!" Jiraiya yelled as Keiko and Tenten walked to the front.

"NO YOU DIDN'T! I WOULD'VE REMEMBERED!" Naruto yelled as Keiko went back inside.

The shouting match continued for a few more moments when…

"Buki Ryûseigun (Meteoric Weapon Swarm)!"

Naruto quickly moved out of the way as Jiraiya was pummeled by a massive wave of weaponry. Naruto looked towards the source to see Keiko using a long staff to control them. She looked pretty angry as she retracted the weapons.

"Now, Jiraiya-sensei, didn't you say that Naruto-kun knew to come here?" Keiko said in a deceptively calm voice.

"Well, I told him, but," Jiraiya started as Keiko drew a large hammer from one of the seals in her staff. Jiraiya looked afraid as Keiko started to walk forward. She spoke again, this time, her voice with a hard edge to it.

"Don't think about lying to me, Jiraiya-sensei. I've done it to one man. I can do it to you, too."

Jiraiya gulped and stuttered out a response. "O-okay, I forgot to tell him. P-please don't kill me," Jiraiya muttered as Keiko put away her hammer. Everybody could hear his muttering.

"Geez, I had to train a team full of weapon masters, huh? She always had an overactive temper…"

"What was that, Jiraiya-sensei?" Keiko said angrily.

"Nothing, it was nothing."

"Good; now, Naruto-kun, it's time for me to train you," Keiko said gently, placing the staff behind her. Naruto smiled brightly and spoke loudly to get the attention of Jiraiya.

"Well, it's a good thing that you took him down before I did. I would've destroyed him in many different ways," Naruto said, emphasizing the last few words.

Jiraiya only cringed.

Naruto was taught how to attack and defend with a sword. Keiko was teaching him the footwork, the stance and the attack and defensive stokes by teaching him the simplest way possible.

She fought him.

Keiko relentlessly attacked in defensive lessons and she exploited weaknesses in Naruto's stokes and stance when he was on the offensive. Naruto automatically corrected his swordsmanship since she swung her staff pretty hard.

After Naruto was able to use the single blade effectively, he drew out the second blade and looked at Keiko, dropping into the normal stance for one blade. She smiled brightly and flew into an attack.

Naruto immediately felt the difference between single blade fighting and twin blade fighting. Even with just a single staff, Keiko was overpowering him. Naruto had to move quickly to dodge or block and he had to move extraordinarily fast to attack within Keiko's small (yet deliberate) openings. Naruto instantly saw the lack of control he had with his blades and that affected the power of both offence and defense.

Another problem with the blades was the fact that he was holding one blade in each hand. The sword was heavy enough in both hands, but it was almost impossible to wield effectively with one hand per blade. Naruto had to basically create a new stance from scratch to even defend with the blades.

Naruto jumped back from Keiko and dropped into his new stance. He placed his right foot in the back and his left foot forward. The sword in his left hand was held horizontally waist-level approximately a foot away from his body. The sword in his right hand was raised up near his head, the hilt hovering inches from Naruto's right ear. The blade of the right hand blade was pointed forward as Keiko and Jiraiya widened their eyes. Naruto's eyes showed pure determination as he awaited Keiko's attack.

Keiko was in a mild state of shock seeing Naruto's stance. Keiko saw Naruto's determined look and compared it to that of her late teammate. Keiko then saw the awaiting glance in Naruto's eyes and she charged forward and swung her staff.

As soon as the staff was about to strike Naruto, he blocked it with the blade in his left hand. Naruto then twisted to Keiko's right and attempted to attack with his right hand sword. Keiko saw the attack and quickly moved to block. The blade in Naruto's left hand, now freed from the block, dipped under Naruto's right arm and moved to attack Keiko's left side as she blocked.

Keiko was in trouble. Whenever she blocked one blade, the other came to attack. When she blocked that blade, the first blade retaliated. She could see various openings in his attacks, but she couldn't exploit them since she needed to block Naruto's next oncoming attack. This stance wasn't perfect, but it showed signs of extreme improvement.

"_Damn, I'll have to get serious if I want to teach him anything. I'll have to use both of them. He's improved extremely fast; too fast." _

Keiko jumped back and clutched her staff with both hands. In one swift movement, the staff snapped in the middle creating two short staffs. Keiko charged forward and relentlessly attacked with both rods. Naruto was instantly placed in Keiko's previous position as he was constantly dodging and blocking with his blades. Naruto wasn't able to pay attention to anything else but Keiko's attacks as she continued at the same lightning–fast pace.

Naruto gasped as his knee suddenly buckled. Naruto's focus broke for a split-second, but that was all Keiko needed.

Naruto was knocked down and Keiko reformed her original weapon. Keiko put down the staff and helped Naruto up.

"That's enough for now, Naruto-kun. Let's start training in the forge."

Naruto sheathed his blades and re-sealed them within his scrolls as he followed her into the house. Jiraiya vanished to resume his "research" in the middle of the lesson. As he followed Keiko, Naruto was receiving a commentary about his sword fighting.

"Now, your blade-work is below average with a single blade. You can defend yourself quite well, but you're lacking in the offensive department. You leave yourself too open for your opponent's attacks when you're on the offensive. Remember, offence is not only attack."

Naruto nodded, allowing her to continue.

"Now, your blade-work with twin blades is slightly above average. You were able to create a new, effective stance for yourself; in mid-battle, may I add; and use it effectively to corner me when I was using only one weapon. In that situation, you were able to defend excellently and use that opening to perform a counterattack. Also, when the counterattack was blocked, you were able to unleash a chain of attacks that pushed me back."

Naruto smiled wide as Keiko continued.

"When I used two smaller staffs, however, you had a lot of trouble since I had the same amount of weapons as you. You were able to defend my attacks, but you were unable to use any openings you found, if you could find any. Also, based on the end of the battle, it was taking up all of your focus just to defend so you couldn't break into an attack, even if I was wide open. You have to remember, the hands do count as weapons and each person is usually born with two."

Naruto looked down as Keiko started the last part of her speech/evaluation.

"But, remember, you just started to learn how to use blades so you did a really good job out there."

Naruto looked up as she finished and he broke into a wide smile at her words. Keiko smiled as Tenten bounced into the room, obviously excited.

"So, Okaa-san, are we going to get started?"

"What is she talking about, Keiko-sensei?" Naruto asked.

"Well, you can learn how to extract metal on your own time. Now, I'm going to instruct you on how to make weaponry. Tenten is going to help me teach you today."

Naruto sat down and smiled as Tenten moved towards a pile of medium-sized orbs that Naruto identified as being the same type of metal he was learning to extract. She picked up a few orbs and hobbled over. Tenten handed Keiko an orb and sat down as Keiko began to speak.

"Now, once you have the amount of metal you need, you need to melt it down. Usually, a person would put the pure metal in a pot and heat it to extreme temperatures. The reason there is a standard kiln is because my husband makes normal weaponry for civilians. But, we're ninjas. We need to do it a different way so we can make ninja weapons."

Keiko placed an orb inside of a black cauldron-like pot as she sat down. As Keiko spoke, Tenten showed Naruto how it's done.

"It gets a little tricky here. First, you perform the Tora (Tiger) seal and focus your chakra into your hands. You need to use a lot of chakra in this process because it requires you to use extreme heat to melt the metal."

As she said this, Tenten's hands glowed red and the she placed her hands on the orb. Silvery metal started to drip down into the pot as the orb began to shrink. Naruto's eyes opened wide. The orb shrunk gradually and, eventually, the orb vanished, leaving a pool of metal in the pot. Keiko took over as Tenten rested.

"The next thing you do is surround the liquid metal in chakra and form it to the item you want. Depending on the item, you will have to use more or less metal to form it. For now, I'll make a tantô (Japanese dagger)."

Keiko performed the actions as she said them. A bubble of chakra, filled with liquid metal, rose into the air above the pot as Tenten approached with a bucket filled with ice water. Keiko formed the metal into the shape of a dagger and dipped it within the ice water for about a minute. She then took the dagger out of the water. Keiko continued to speak as she wiped off the blade.

"Obviously, the dagger doesn't need to be perfect at this point. We still need to perfect the blade by tempering the blade, but this is the general idea. By the way, you're not progressing any more until you are able to do both the metal extraction and these two steps. I won't let you use the ready-made metal orbs for your practice so you'll have to master the process in order. We'll stop for dinner now, though. You can practice it tomorrow."

Naruto stood up from his position on the floor and followed Keiko into the dining area. He still wasn't used to the concept of a group dinner, but he liked it. The atmosphere was warmer as the family sat down at the table. Naruto was still a little alienated, but he still conversed and ate comfortably.

"_I don't see how such a simple thing could feel so warm. It's just like what Kurenai-sensei did at the hospital the other day. I don't know why, but I like it. It just feels so comfortable," _Naruto thought as he ate and talked with his new friend, Higarashi Toya. The little boy seemed to look up to Naruto in a brotherly way, not that Naruto knew.

They finished dinner as usual and Naruto went home. Naruto felt warm and fuzzy inside and he didn't need as much effort to put up his smile.

Naruto went back to his house and opened the door. Naruto looked around his apartment before he went in and stepped inside. Naruto noticed that, as soon as he went through the doorway, the warm feeling seemed to vanish.

"_Typical; the moment I'm supposed to feel the warmth of home is the moment the warmth vanishes. Why am I not surprised?"_

Naruto sighed as he got ready for bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he sighed deeply and thought.

"_This isn't really a home."_

(A week later)

Naruto mastered the two forging techniques that Keiko taught him with great difficulty. Now that he did, however, he was now allowed to make his own weapons. Naruto had re-forged his blades and he customized them and personalized them, complete with very unique chakra seals. Naruto had taken his training from Keiko extremely seriously and he was really good at his blade-work and forging.

Naruto took Jiraiya's training seriously when they sparred, but Naruto worked on other things when he was supposed to be working on Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Jiraiya wasn't really paying attention, anyway. During his training, Naruto got a lot of ideas for new weapons and techniques. Naruto didn't have enough time to actually create them since he made sure was completely alone when creating his techniques. The time that Naruto had when training with Jiraiya didn't really count.

Naruto was currently thinking of one of the weapon ideas as he walked over to the Higarashi residence.

"_Hmm, let's see. If I make a normal-sized shuriken with curved blades like the Fuuma shuriken, the shuriken will be able to slash instead of pierce. Also, if I make it with near perfect balance, it should, theoretically, return back to the thrower like a boomerang. Let's try it. I'd love to see how it turns out!"_

Naruto walked into the forge and waved to Tenten and Toya. Toya was watching Naruto's training closely and he was getting extremely excited about his own lessons two years from now. Naruto was now a constant visitor and basically worked for Keiko and the Higarashi family when it came to forging weaponry as payment for the lessons. At first, Keiko refused, but Naruto was extremely stubborn. Keiko finally agreed after she sternly insisted that he be paid for his work. Naruto made quality weapons with his skills and the Higarashi family sold them to other ninja and civilians. The Higarashi kept a little to pay for the metal Naruto used, but the rest went to Naruto.

Naruto went into the back room where Keiko was working on a custom knuckle weapon for Asuma. Keiko smiled at Naruto and he grinned and got to work.

Taking a small orb, Naruto melted it down and created his custom shuriken. Naruto then carefully shaped it and waited for the metal to dry with the help of the chakra method that Keiko taught him. Naruto then hammered the shuriken to perfection and then waited for it to cool in a bucket of room temperature water. Naruto took out the shuriken from the water when he heard a voice.

"OOH, did you make up a new weapon, Naruto-kun?" an excited Tenten asked as she rushed into the room and grabbed the newly made shuriken. She then rushed outside as she examined the shuriken.

"HEY, Tenten-kun, get back over here!" Naruto shouted as he ran after her. Keiko, now finished with her work, laughed as she calmly followed them.

As she stepped outside Tenten was excitedly throwing the weapon, amazed at the fact that it slashed the tree/target and returned to her. Naruto and Toya were trying to get the shuriken. Naruto was trying to get it because he wanted to show it to Keiko and Toya came outside after Naruto, wanting to give it a try.

Tenten threw the shuriken and it went up to the tree and slashed it. The shuriken, still spinning, kept moving as it started to come back. Naruto and Toya dove for the flying shuriken as Tenten noticed Keiko's presence. Tenten quickly grabbed the shuriken, leaving the two boys diving for air. Toya ended up landing on top of Naruto in a humorous position. Keiko laughed as Tenten approached her.

"Okaa-san, look at what Naruto-kun made! It's so cool! The shuriken actually returns to you after you throw it! I can't believe that such a thing exists! This is so awesome! I mean…"

BOOM!

Keiko and Tenten turned towards Naruto and Toya in shock. Toya was looking slack-jawed at a large, newly formed 4- foot crater. The crater was about 2 feet deep and something was rising unsteadily out of the crater. Naruto was holding his head carefully as he rose from the hole.

"What the hell happened?" Tenten asked.

"Tenten, watch your language," Keiko said, shocked.

They both walked over to Naruto at the same time and asked the same question, earning a laugh from Naruto and Toya. They looked that similar.

"What happened, Naruto-kun?"

"Oops, I tripped after Toya-kun got off of me. I guess I wasn't able to brace myself in time," Naruto said sheepishly while scratching his head. Tenten looked at Naruto's wrist and noticed something.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing at the metal band around his wrist.

"Um," Naruto said nervously, "Nothing."

Tenten looked slightly annoyed as she tackled Naruto, determined to take off the metal band. She noticed that he had one band on each of his wrists and ankles. Naruto could have sworn that he heard a chuckle as the band on his right wrist released. Naruto could instantly feel the difference as Tenten stood in victory, holding the band over her head. This was obviously a mistake as she felt the weight of the band a second later.

BOOM!

Tenten dropped the band and it made a six inch crater in the ground. Naruto groaned as he tried to dig for his band. Keiko told Toya that she was going inside for a moment to get something. As soon as she came out, Naruto was holding the band easily in his right hand as Tenten was shaking him back and forth, attempting to force the information out of Naruto. Keiko placed a small bathroom scale on the floor and she asked Naruto to place the band on the scale. Naruto, curious about how much weight he had on, did so gladly.

"I only have 100 kilograms (220.5 pounds) on each limb! I thought it was more!" Naruto yelled as he grabbed his band and replaced it on his right arm.

"You wanted more? That's almost as much as Lee's weights! Are you crazy!" Tenten yelled.

"I guess so," Naruto said simply, earning a dumbfounded look from Tenten and raucous laughter from Toya.

After a long bout of one-sided arguing from Tenten to Naruto, Naruto gave her the new shuriken after making her promise to not give it to anyone. It seems as if Naruto is as prideful about his weapons as he is about his original techniques. Naruto made himself a new set of weapons which included the new shuriken and a custom kunai before leaving

(1 week before the finals)

Jiraiya was actually paying attention to Naruto's training after catching him practicing his accuracy with his Denkô Dangan and his shuriken. Naruto hadn't truly tried to use Kuchiyose no Jutsu so he still inexperienced. Naruto had, once again, been forced to fight Jiraiya to the point of exhaustion and then forced to use Kuchiyose no Jutsu until he was able to summon more than just a tadpole.

"_Okay, one more time. I can do this. I…can…do…this." _

Naruto collapsed from exhaustion and Jiraiya turned from his peeping. Just because he was paying attention didn't mean he wasn't peeping. He picked up Naruto's body and started to carry him away.

"_He needs to learn how to use that power! If a life-threatening situation is what he needs to learn, that is what he'll get. I hope you forgive me, Arashi."_

(Later)

WHAM!

"Ow," Naruto groaned as he stood to meet the serious face of Jiraiya. He was confused for a moment as Jiraiya spoke.

"Your training ends here. If you don't learn to use your power now, you will die. Now is the time to see whether or not your power is a gift or a curse. Remember that," Jiraiya said as he poked Naruto's forehead protector, sending Naruto falling backwards into a giant ravine.

Naruto was only able to scream as the rushing air rushed into his lungs. Naruto was thinking of a way to get out of this.

"_Okay, I need to get out of here. Maybe I can grab onto the walls," _Naruto thought as he tried to grab onto a protruding rock. Naruto was able to attach himself on the rock for a second, but he slipped, sending him falling again.

"_Damn it, maybe I can blast myself out of here with a big Fuuton: Toppû," _Naruto thought as he made the Ushi Saru and Hitsuji (Ox, Monkey, and Ram) seals. Naruto thrust his arms downward, intending to blow his way out. Unfortunately, Naruto was unable to get more than a puff of air.

"_DAMN IT, I can't die here! I need to kick Ero-Sennin's ass for pushing me into this ravine! I can't die here! I CAN'T DIE HERE!"_

Naruto suddenly found himself inside a bland hall lined with pipes. The place looked similar to a sewer, but he saw that the water was clean. Naruto started to walk around when he heard a voice.

"**SHUT UP! I don't need to help him!"**

Naruto recognized the voice and walked towards it. Naruto could sense someone else moving inside the tunnel, but he was too occupied to think about it.

"_This is the feeling. So, the chakra was…"_

Naruto walked into a large room with a cage on the opposite side of the room. The cage was the size of the wall and it was kept shut by a long chain wrapping around the entire cage originating from a small paper that said "seal".

"…_the Kyûbi's." _

Naruto walked up to the cage and looked closely at the small paper and thought out loud.

"This is the seal that's keeping the Kyûbi in me? He mustn't be that tough if could be restrained by a piece of paper."

A claw suddenly shot out of the cage, catching Naruto by surprise. Red eyes appeared behind the gate.

"**YOU IDIOT; I WOULD DESTROY YOU IN SECONDS IF I COULD GET OUT OF THIS ACCURSED SEAL! DO NOT INSULT THE GREAT KYÛBI!"**

"So, you've been here this whole time, huh?"

"**WHAT DO YOU THINK, YOU IDIOT? WHEN ELSE COULD I HAVE BEEN SEALED WITHIN YOU?"**

"I see, so, as your jailer," Naruto said with a commanding tone, "I demand that you allow me to use your chakra at will."

The Kyûbi…started laughing. His laughter reached the corners of the room as he spoke.

"**WELL, WELL, I SEE THAT YOU HAVE GUTS! I'll honor your request because of your bravery. Now, leave me."**

Naruto was surrounded by red chakra as he was thrown from his mind and sent back into the real world. Naruto recognized the feeling immediately and did the first technique he could think of. Naruto bit his finger and started to perform a series of seals.

I, Inu, Tori, Saru, Hitsuji (Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram)

"KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!" Naruto shouted as he thrust his hand downward and a large burst of red chakra appeared under his hand. Naruto landed on something squishy and he immediately looked onto the back of the frog.

"Alright, there's no tail! I've finally mastered Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as Naruto slipped down the frog's nose. Naruto could see the frog's eyes as the frog spoke.

"HEY, URCHIN; I'm trying to enjoy my first breath of air! Stop bouncing on top of my head!"

Naruto stopped celebrating his victory and he looked at the giant frog. Naruto widened his eyes as he realized that this was probably the frog boss. Naruto immediately started to suck up to Gamabunta.

"I'm sorry, Gamabunta-sama, I didn't realize it was you."

Gamabunta looked in confusion as he spoke.

"Well, alright, then; I forgive you. Do you know where Jiraiya is?"

"Oh, Ero-Sennin; he's on the top of this stupid ravine. I'm sorry for summoning you to such a horrid place, but that bastard pushed me down here."

"You shouldn't lie; it's definitely not good for your health!" Gamabunta said before allowing his tongue to wrap around Naruto and squeeze him. Naruto still kept up the act of humility, though he was cursing inside.

"I am being serious, Gamabunta-sama. I've signed the contract and I have summoned you." Naruto said.

"_This damn asshole… He's really lucky that I don't feel like trying to kick his ass right now. If I did, I'd…" _Naruto thought.

Gamabunta, unable to talk, jumped out of the hole and landed outside of the ravine. Naruto was released and Naruto began to speak again.

"Thank you, Gamabunta-sama, now, if I can make a suggestion, will you join me in kicking Ero-Sennin's ass to Stone Country?" Naruto asked, anxious to start to kick Jiraiya's ass.

Gamabunta started to laugh as he looked down to see the contract. He spoke to Naruto as he stomped down on a bush. Something screamed as Gamabunta's foot crashed down to the ground.

"You really know how to get on a frog's good side, kid! Unfortunately, I think Jiraiya is just a smear against my foot! You can kick his ass later!"

"That's fine…Gamabunta-sama. It just…saves me the trouble," Naruto said as he collapsed.

"_Heh, it seems the kid used up all his chakra to summon me. This guy is something else since no one has dared to ride on my head, since the Yondaime. I could give him some of my power, but it would be better if I…"_

Naruto was mysteriously found outside the Konoha Hospital moments later next to a large frog footprint.

(Meanwhile)

Kyûbi changed into his "human" form and sat on the ground. He sighed before calling into the darkness.

"**You can come out now, Yondaime," **Kyûbi said as a blond-haired figure emerged from the shadows.

"**Why did you leave me to deal with him?" **Kyûbi asked.

"**_I just…can't," _**Yondaime said as he sat down on the ground.

"**You can't speak to the guy whose life you messed up because of me, huh?" **

"**_Well, just because I can't speak with him doesn't mean I can't help him out. Who do you think messed with his weights?" _**Yondaime asked.

"**You did that too? I implanted a bit of chakra into the seal he made for the weights the last time he changed them!"**

"_**I did too! I also increased the weight every time he got used to it!"**_

"**Whatever, you coward; you can't even speak to a simple kid. How did you get in here anyway?"**

"**_That's easy," _**Yondaime said, **_"The Shiki Fûjin technique I used was supposed to seal us in the stomach of the Death God, but I sealed us within Naruto here. Seeing as I designed the seal to enclose a nine-tailed shape-shifting demon that is usually taller than mountains and not a human, I was able to escape easily. Now, instead of fighting for all eternity, I can mock you until Naruto dies._**

Kyûbi growled angrily as Yondaime laughed heartily.

(2 days later)

Naruto awoke to a warm hand to the right and a loud bang to the left. Naruto opened focused his eyes to the left as he saw Jiraiya being pummeled by Keiko by a freakishly large hammer. Hayate was also up and walking as he approached Keiko. Jiraiya was extracting himself from the wall.

"Keiko-chan, may I have a short staff?" Hayate asked as Keiko smirked and gave him one of her staffs as she continued to carry her freakishly large hammer.

Jiraiya was now staring down two very angry weapons masters as they started to pummel him; Keiko with her hammer and Hayate using the staff like a sword. Certain shouts could be heard clearly.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!"

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE TO YOU IF HE DIED?"

"YOU ARE AN IDIOT!"

Naruto smirked and chuckled as he spoke.

"I see everyone is getting a piece of him before I do, huh? I assume you escaped from Gamabunta's foot, huh Ero-Sennin?"

Keiko and Hayate looked up from their work and looked at Naruto. They both gave him a pleasant and relieved look as Jiraiya tried to escape.

"OH, NO; YOU'RE NOT GETTING OUT OF THIS ONE!" Keiko and Hayate shouted in unison as they continued to beat their sensei into a bloody pulp.

Naruto laughed as he looked to his right, where he was feeling warmer than he usually was.

Naruto turned to see Hinata's confused face as she looked at the fight across the room. Naruto smiled happily as he got her attention.

"Well, I didn't really expect you here, Hinata-chan. How have you been?"

Hinata immediately gained a deep blush as she looked down. She saw that she was holding Naruto's hand at the same moment Naruto did. Naruto blushed slightly as Hinata spoke.

"I-I have b-been fine, N-Naruto-kun. W-why are y-you in the h-hospital?" Hinata said as she continued to look down.

"Well, the idiot that's being pummeled over there shoved me into a ravine and I needed to use all my chakra to get out. It sucked to feel that weak."

The two sat in silence as Hinata continued to hold Naruto's hand. The silence wasn't affected by the massive weapon fight in the room, but it was shattered as soon as the door opened.

Naruto and Hinata widened their eyes and separated their hands as Kurenai and Shikamaru walked in the room.

Dodging various projectile weapons, they made it to the bed in one piece. Naruto smiled brightly as Shikamaru spoke.

"Hey, Naruto, what are you doing here in the hospital?"

Naruto chuckled sheepishly and spoke.

"Oh, it was nothing. I just had a case of chakra exhaustion. That's all. Why are you here?"

"Oh, nothing; I was only here to visit Chôji. You guys aren't the type to get visitors, so I thought I would pop in. Imagine my surprise when I walk in here to see a war zone and Kurenai-sensei."

"What's wrong with Chôji?" Naruto asked, worried.

"Oh, it's nothing much, but it's troublesome. He ate too much after the battles and got one big case of indigestion."

Naruto laughed. "That is just like him, huh Shikamaru?"

It was then when Shikamaru placed a fruit basket on the bedside table. Naruto noticed that there were two flowers on the table. Naruto gained a look of confusion as he looked at the flowers.

"_Who would get me flowers?" _he thought as Kurenai noticed his line of sight.

"Yes, Naruto-kun; they're flowers. I have no idea where they came from, though." Kurenai said with a playfully sarcastic tone.

Hinata blushed as Naruto sat up to be able to look closely at the flowers. Naruto then noticed Hinata's blush and he questioned it.

"Hey, Hinata-chan, are you okay? You look a little red," Naruto said as he felt Hinata's forehead. Hinata had to struggle to keep herself from fainting. Naruto removed his hand and smiled at Hinata, assuming that she was fine, despite her color.

A small discussion bubbled from the people in the room, excluding Keiko, Hayate and Jiraiya where the former two were still beating up the latter. Naruto was actually starting to get annoyed at the noise. He thought of something that would be sufficient as he started to perform seals.

"Now, Naruto-kun, don't do that," Kurenai said, "You're still recovering."

Naruto rolled his eyes and got another idea. Naruto turned to Hinata and started to whisper. Kurenai and Hinata were able to pick up what he said, and Shikamaru wasn't paying attention.

"Ushi, Inu, U, Saru, Hitsuji, Tori, Tatsu, Saru, Mi, Uma, Ne, Tori, Saru (Ox, Dog, Hare, Monkey, Ram, Bird, Dragon, Monkey, Snake, Horse, Rat, Bird, Monkey)"

Kurenai widened her eyes and then smiled as she watched Hinata. Hinata was confused for a moment until she realized that they were hand-seals. She performed them in order and looked inquisitively at Naruto, holding the seal of the Monkey. Naruto then gestured to Hinata to put her index and middle fingers of her left hand onto her right wrist. Hinata did so and focused the chakra into her hand. Naruto then gestured to focus the chakra into her finger and then he pointed to Jiraiya's backside (which was now in view since Keiko and Hayate were now stomping on Jiraiya's body) and flicked his wrist as if he was shooting off a gun. Hinata realized what she was doing and she aimed carefully. She mimicked the movements and released the chakra as a bolt hit Jiraiya's butt.

Being suddenly electrocuted, Jiraiya jumped up from the shock as Naruto and Kurenai laughed. Hinata looked surprised and Shikamaru gave a smirk. Keiko and Hayate were still laughing at Jiraiya's misfortune and Jiraiya was about to go and pummel the idiot who shot him. Jiraiya, despite the large beating, did not have any lasting injuries other than a broken arm and a smashed…well; you know what I'm talking about. Let's just say that Keiko hit it pretty damn hard with her hammer.

Jiraiya went towards Hinata, but he was blocked by Kurenai, Keiko, and surprisingly, Naruto, who was, despite Kurenai's suggestion, making hand seals to blow him away. Jiraiya instantly calmed down after staring down a genjutsu specialist, a weapons specialist and a kid with the Kyûbi sealed within him. Naruto calmed down and sat back down on the bed as he began to explain the technique she learned.

"So, Hinata-chan, do you like the technique? It's useful in battle, but I've been mostly using it for anti-pervert purposes. Ero-Sennin really loves electric shocks," Naruto said, angering Jiraiya instantly. Unfortunately for him, Keiko, Hayate, and now Kurenai are hell bent on keeping the boy safe.

Shikamaru bid farewell in the middle of this chaos and only Naruto and Hinata noticed. They continued their conversation as killer intent filled the room. Naruto continued to tell her the details of the technique while ignoring the intent from the three Jônin. Hinata drew in a breath to ask a question as Naruto tried to continue. Both recognized the other's attempt to speak and the following verbal exchange occurred.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-chan, you go first."

"N-no, n-no, N-Naruto-kun, you go."

"Go on, Hinata-chan, if you have a question, don't hesitate to ask."

"B-but, N-Naruto-kun, you w-was e-explaining it to me. M-my question m-may still be a-answered."

"I'm not saying any more until you ask your question," Naruto said stubbornly.

Hinata tried to speak when her mind went blank. Naruto noticed this and tried to speak himself, but his mind went blank as well. This moment created another awkward moment between Naruto and Hinata. A small silence rose between them.

Naruto broke the silence by rubbing the back of his head and speaking.

"What was I talking about?" Naruto asked. Naruto then looked around the room to see that the three jônin had calmed down and Jiraiya had taken a seat on a chair inside the room. Naruto saw Jiraiya writing down the features of the women in the room and he just saw him sneak a glance at Hinata before writing it down in his notepad. Naruto immediately got pissed and quickly made the seals for Denkô Dangan while speaking to Hinata.

"Okay, Hinata-chan, this is Anti-Pervert Operation #2. Watch closely."

Naruto finished the seals and suddenly jumped from the bed, focusing his chakra in his hand and releasing a shot into the field. Naruto threw his punch as Jiraiya looked up to look at more details. Naruto got him dead in the face and he flew into the wall as he still sat in the chair. The wall obtained a dent larger than the dent made by Keiko's hammer strike, earning shocked glances by everyone in the room.

Naruto didn't bat an eye as he took Jiraiya's notebook and burned it using the technique Keiko taught him for melting metal. Keiko smiled wide as Jiraiya wept at the loss of his research. Naruto smiled as he heard a voice in the hall.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Naruto immediately went after the familiar voice, earning shocked gazes all around. Kurenai, Keiko, Hayate and Hinata ran out after him just in time to see Naruto punch Gaara in the face.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Naruto yelled indignantly as he punched Gaara. Shikamaru staggered like Gaara did and spoke to Naruto.

"Hey, Naruto; watch it! When I have Kagemane no Jutsu active, anything that happens to him, happens to me!"

Naruto fell back and apologized as he clutched his fist, allowing a shot to surround it in lightning-like chakra. Shikamaru was busy watching Gaara closely as he answered.

"I wanted to kill him." Gaara said simply.

"_He's so calm. He should be paralyzed by my Kagemane, but…"_

"Why do you want to do that? Do you have a grudge or something? You won your match!"

"No, it's not a grudge. I want to kill him because I want to kill, nothing more."

"DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?" Naruto yelled as Shikamaru spoke.

"You really are twisted and selfish. This is really troublesome."

"_How should we do this? This guy may be too much for Naruto and me to handle alone. I may have to try and pull a bluff."_

"I'll kill you too if you try to interfere." Gaara said.

"I'd like to see you try!" Naruto said confidently as he dropped into a taijutsu stance with his right hand back. Shikamaru then noticed Naruto's right hand surrounded in lightning. Shikamaru smirked as he started to speak.

"We know you're strong. But, you see, Naruto and I are extremely capable fighters. We both have techniques that none have seen. You're at a serous disadvantage since we're both going against you. If you leave now, we'll leave you alone," Shikamaru said as Gaara stared impassively.

"I'll say it again; if you interfere, I'll kill you."

"YOU WON'T KILL ME!"

"Naruto, stop it already. This guy is monstrously powerful!" Shikamaru shouted as Naruto continued.

"Who cares? I have a real monster within me! I won't lose to anyone, especially not him!"

Gaara and Shikamaru looked at Naruto a moment. The small silence was broken by Gaara.

"A monster, huh; I have one of those too. I am "twisted" for a reason. I killed my "mother" during my birth. In order to create a super-shinobi, my father implanted an incarnation of sand within my body. I was born a monster!"

Shikamaru and Naruto looked in shock as Gaara continued.

"He is known as Shukaku, the spirit of a former Sunagakure leader sealed within a tea kettle."

"That's crazy," Shikamaru said, "There is no way that there is a sane human would use a technique to forcibly possess a fetus. Besides, what kind of a parent does that? That's really twisted love."

"Love? Don't judge me by your mediocre standards. Let me tell you what "family" means to me. "Family" is merely a set of hulls of flesh whose souls are connected by hatred and killer intent. My mother was sacrificed to make me the village's masterpiece and to make me the Kazekage's son, but he taught me shinobi skills on a constant basis; spoiling me while at the same time isolating and overprotecting me. I thought that that was love, at first. That is, until the incident."

"What are you talking about?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto, for once, kept silent.

"For the past 6 years, I have been the target of many assassination attempts led by my father. I've actually lost count of how many times I've been targeted."

"_Just like me…" _Naruto thought.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked, confused and alarmed.

"I am a relic of something that my village wishes to forget, so they tried to do away with me. While living in uncertainty, I asked myself, why do I exist? I searched my soul and found no answer. I searched for a reason and I found one; if I didn't I might as well die."

"So, what have you found?" Naruto asked seriously.

"I found that I exist to kill all other humans other than myself. By killing my assassins, I found my reason of existence and justified my existence by killing them. I fight, now, for myself and I love only myself. As long as there are other people to kill, my existence will never vanish."

"_I get it… He's just like me. He too knows the feeling of true pain. I felt it too, until I met my friends and Iruka-sensei. That is when I truly experienced warmth and love. But, Gaara is still living with the pain and he tries to quell it by killing others. He can and probably will kill us if be gets the chance! I will fight back, though!"_

Naruto dropped deeper into his stance and prepared to fight as sand started to fill the room.

"Now, help me feel alive!" Gaara said as he prepared his attack.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" a voice yelled, calling the attention of the people inside the room.

Gai stood at the door along with Keiko, Hayate, Kurenai and Hinata. Hinata was peeking out from behind Kurenai as she watched in shock and terror. Keiko had her staff behind her back and Hayate had his sword sheathed, but they both were ready to use their respective weapons at a moment's notice. Gai spoke.

"Unless you plan on becoming an inpatient 5 days before the finals, I suggest that you settle down."

Gaara collected his sand and turned to leave, but not without leaving a lingering threat.

"I'll kill you all, just you wait."

A stagnant wind was present in the room as Gaara left. Naruto broke the silence and bid farewell to the people in the room, deliberately praising Hinata for learning another new move.

(The Day of the Finals)

The only sounds he heard were the sound of his footsteps and the roaring of his nervous thoughts. He had improved greatly in the past month, but he still wasn't absolutely sure. In fact, he was a little nervous. He could use Denkô Dangan on the fly and his taijutsu and kenjutsu skills had improved dramatically. He also improved the move he was going to use on Kiba and he could now use it without the aid of his clones. Even with all of these improvements, he was still nervous.

"_Hyûga Neji is supposed to be the best rookie of last year. He also is excellent at the Jûken and he could actually see the tenketsu. How can I win?" _

"Ha," Naruto said, trying to ease his mind, "I can summon a frog now. I have nothing to worry about!"

Naruto continued to walk and he ended up at the training ground. The trees just outside the training ground still had the marks of his training. Naruto was slightly surprised to see Hinata next to one of the wooden poles.

"Hey, Hinata-chan, what are you doing here?"

Hinata squeaked and instantly hid behind the pole she was looking at. Naruto smiled at the scene and thought.

"_That is really cute."_

"N-Naruto-kun, w-why are you here? Aren't the f-finals today?"

"Yeah, they are. I'm just looking around here. You see, I became a genin here. This is where I passed Kakashi-sensei's stupid test." Naruto said.

Naruto looked down for a moment, allowing a silence to fill the area, if only for a moment. Naruto then broke it with a simple question.

"Hey, Hinata-chan, is Neji strong?"

Hinata looked down, recalling her past experience before responding.

"Y-yes, he is."

"I see…" Naruto said sullenly.

"B-but," Hinata said, making Naruto raise his head, "You, of all people, should be able to defeat him!"

"Yeah, I'm strong, too!" Naruto shouted, putting up his full mask in front of Hinata for the first time in years. Naruto then laughed semi-confidently until Naruto lost his mental footing and it slowly stopped. Hinata continued to speak.

"I-I'm sure you can beat him, N-Naruto-kun. W-when you c-cheered for me during the p-preliminaries, I-I felt stronger than before. A-after that, I-I was able to like myself a little more. I-if a s-stranger looked at me, t-they may think I haven't changed, but I-I think I changed, if only a little bit."

Naruto looked slightly shocked at this revelation as Hinata continued.

"And, it was all because of you, Naruto-kun."

Hearing this, he allowed the mask to drop as he said something that no other people usually hear from him.

"Hinata-chan, do you really feel that way?"

Hinata looked up in shock as Naruto continued.

"I may seem strong from your point of view, but I usually act that way to cover up my screw-ups. Also, I cover it up because I'm pissed at myself for being a weak failure."

"That's not true!"

Naruto raised his head immediately, noticing the lack of a stutter.

"Even if you fail, I think you are a proud man who accepts your failures and learns from them. The best aspect of you is the fact that, no matter what, you don't give up. I think true strength lies within that aspect. Naruto-kun, you are strong, at least, in my perspective."

Naruto was surprised at Hinata's words and smiled brightly.

"You know, I was feeling a little depressed and nervous, but I feel a lot better now. Thanks a lot Hinata-chan!"

Hinata looked surprised as Naruto started to walk away.

"Okay then, I'll be off to the main matches! Come and watch me kick Neji's ass, okay?"

Naruto walked about 7 feet away when he stopped and spoke.

"Hinata," Naruto said, getting her attention.

"You know, I once thought of you as a dark and timid person."

Hinata drooped at these words as Naruto continued.

"But, now, you've become my closest friend and I really like you."

Hinata raised her head and widened her eyes in shock as Naruto heard a set of fireworks. Naruto widened his eyes and gasped in shock.

"Oh shit; I'm late!"

Naruto focused his chakra and removed the seals on his weights (surprisingly easily) and ran vigorously, leaving a lingering phrase in the air.

"See you later, Hinata-chan."

Hinata was still thinking of Naruto's previous words and she really didn't notice that he was running extremely fast.

(Later)

The roar of the crowd was almost deafening as citizen and feudal lord alike anticipated to matches that were the finals. Hayate wasn't the proctor this time for security reasons as he was currently guarding the arena.

The people participating in the exam were now standing in the arena, looking at the crowd. Naruto looked around and saw somebody missing.

"_Where's Sasuke? I thought he'd crawl here if he had to. He better make it here if he wants to fight me."_

The proctor looked down at Naruto and signaled to him. Naruto turned his attention to him.

"Hey, stop fidgeting. Stay still and smile at the crowd because you guys are the stars of the show."

Naruto gulped as he looked forward. This was going to be a long day.

(End Chapter)

A/N: I hope you like the chapter. This was kind of a half-bridge chapter so it's not all that great. Anyway, please review. Say what you liked, what you didn't like and what you think can be improved. Ideas are always welcome. Anyway, review or… A STAMPEDE OF WILD OXEN WILL TRAMPLE UPON THEE!


	20. Chapter 19: Fate

A/N: I'm back with another chapter! I, personally, will probably love this chapter since it features one of my favorite fights in the series; Neji vs. Naruto! I hope you like it!

Here are the review responses!

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **Whoa, you are really hyper right now, huh? Anyway, Kotetsu and Izumo will be coming into the picture soon. Remember, they're watching the match closely next to Hinata and Kiba. I'm glad you think it was awesome.

**Lochar: **She should be coming any minute now. Anyway, I have to mention that I update pretty often unless I'm busy with stuff. As for your real review, you were correct when you said the voice was the Yondaime's. If you noticed the difference, Kyuubi is just **bold type** and Yondaime is **_bold and italicized. _**Also, for the pervert, he was getting beat up enough by two weapons masters. The Naruto/Hinata scene when they do that will really be something, but someone will probably be there to laugh at them or something. About the fight, you'll just have to read to find out, huh? Thanks for the review!

**BioDragon: **Yeah, maybe I should have toned it down a bit. I'll fix it soon enough, though. Personally, I hate super-Naruto fanfictions. They're always boring because super-Naruto could kick the shit out of anyone.

**Hybrid thing: **I guess it was a bit harsh, but you'd do that to if you were in their position. Anyway, when I really get the NaruHina moving along, you'll see more good scenes, I hope.

**Anime-Boy07: **Sorry to disappoint you, but I like the fight as it is. I did tweak it a bit, though.

**Causeiambetta: **What do you mean "mood changes"? Anyway, I'm glad you liked the NaruHina scenes.

**Madnarutofan: **Oh, his techniques still use hand-seals. It's just that I forgot to mention it's use in the hospital scene.

**Light of the Demons: **You'll see…

**Tellemicus Sundance: **Excellent; I don't have to worry about mocking up your story anymore! Also, don't worry; I have a weakness all lined up for him.

**Arganaut: **The characters actually make an appearance (without names) at the end of the chapter. Let's see if you can guess who they are.

**Sadfru: **Damn it; stop eating my beef! Also, read the Reviewer's Warning at the end of the review responses in the last chapter.

**EvilFuzzy9: **I'm glad you think so.

**Kakashi-Chanu: **Now, now, don't glomp the computer just to get to my story, okay?

**VFSNAKE: **About Jiraiya, he deserved it! I was surprised Naruto didn't kick his ass in the canon version! Also, I didn't really get that last part.

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **Hmm, that's a good question.

**Dragon Man 180: **You reviewed, so you have nothing to worry about. Anyway, I'm glad you left the parts you liked in your review. I had to teach Hinata something somehow and that seemed like the best idea at the time.

**Freedomforlove: **Is one day later good?

**Fionartan: **He may be smarter in my story, but he's still clueless when it comes to affectionate gestures. Anyway, I'm glad you like my story.

**Era-chan: **I'm glad you liked my improvements and additions to the actual story. I'll describe the relationship in Jiraiya's team sooner or later. It may be too serious to put in humorous bits, but I'll add plenty of action. I'll think about your suggestions and I'll write what I feel like. Thanks for the suggestions, though!

**TheCurtainFalls: **Thanks for your suggestions/critiques. I'll keep them in mind as I write future chapters.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **Hey, that's my line (concerning the end)! The best friend thing was my own design. I'm glad you liked it.

**Demon of Konoha: **I love your suggestions! I'll keep them in mind when I write the "Retrieve Sasuke" mission. About the shadow clone learning thing, I'll keep that in mind while trying to not make him a Super-Naruto.

**Silver Warrior: **I thought it would be. That's why I did it!

**WarShadow: **You know, I may not get much fluff in the next chapter, but there will be in future chapters.

**Clone Daniel: **I'm glad you liked it! There's nothing wrong about being a romantic. It takes one to write one, don't you think?

**NewSon: **Don't worry; they're only going to be pricks in the Chûnin exam. In fact, after the forest of death, I stop making them pricks.

**HeWhoWatchesFromTheMist: **Don't hurt me…

**ShadowBack: **Perverts are mainly trampled, but I trample idiots who are to lazy to review as well. I'm glad you like my story.

**Korigo starless: **She's nervous, what can I say? Anyway, I would stutter too if I was talking to my crush. Anyway, I'm glad you like the plot. It's equally exciting to read than it is to write, I suppose.

**Rago Dragovian: **I'll try.

**Kyuubi-Dono: **Calm down; here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I will unleash a hamster swarm on anyone who says I own Naruto. I will also unleash them on any lawyers that aren't Benny the zebra.

Disclaimer Part 2: I guarantee that parts of the Naruto vs. Neji fight will be just like the manga/anime. You have been warned.

Here is the 20th installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate." HOORAY!

(Chapter Begins)

"Before we start, I have something to say about the matches."

Genma pulled out a sheet of paper and showed it to the participants. The people present had a nasty shock when the matches turned out different.

Naruto and Neji was the first match, as expected, but then, it was Temari and Shikamaru's match. After that, in another bracket, there was Shino vs. Kankuro. Next to that match, there was Gaara vs. Sasuke. Each of them had different thoughts.

"_Okay, I'm still fine. My match is still first."_

"_What the hell? Why is Sasuke's match last?"_

"_Holy shit; this absolutely screws up the plan!"_

"_I thought I was down for another match. This is really getting troublesome."_

"…_My match is still the same."_

"_Why is my match earlier? I hope things don't screw up too badly."_

"_Good; I still fight Uchiha Sasuke."_

Genma spoke as soon as everyone got a good look.

"The first match is Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyûga Neji. You two stay down here while the rest of you go up to the participant's box."

Naruto stared down his opponent. The crowd roared in anticipation as the proctor, Shiranui Genma announced the beginning of the match. Naruto immediately stuck his fist out and faced Neji.

"Do you have something to say to me?" Neji asked slyly as Naruto spoke.

"I've said it before, I vow to win!" Naruto yelled confidently.

(In the stands)

"Hinata, there's some seats over here!" Kiba yelled as Hinata took a seat next to Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, who were talking about the upcoming match.

"I didn't think that scamp would last this long. I was positive that he would be eliminated in the preliminaries," Kotetsu said.

"Yeah, he must've really earned his place since the lucky ones are gone by now," Izumo said in response.

"He's really in for it now, though. He drew one heck of an opponent. Neji is the prodigy of the Hyûga clan and he'll wipe the floor with Naruto," Kotetsu said.

Hinata frowned slightly as Kiba grunted in disapproval. Kotetsu and Izumo caught this and turned their attentions to them.

"What do you think?" Kotetsu asked, since he was closer to them.

"I think Naruto at least has a chance. After what Kurenai-sensei told me about his strategy, I think he has more than just a shot," Kiba said.

"Why; what did he do?" Izumo asked with curiosity.

"I was the one he defeated to make it here. His attack plans were simple, yet elaborate at the same time. If you underestimate him, you're in for one hell of a surprise," Kiba said before launching into an explanation of Naruto's strategy, with Hinata filling in the spots where Kiba forgot or didn't know. Kotetsu and Izumo were surprised by the end of it, but they didn't show it much.

"Well, I have to admit, that was clever, but pebbles and Henge no Jutsu won't match wits with a Byakugan wielder," Kotetsu said as he started to pay attention to the match.

Kiba heard Akamaru whine and he looked around for this "suspicious person" that Akamaru was whining about. Kiba then looked at the top of the stadium and saw a masked figure.

"_Why is there an ANBU agent here? Did something happen?"_

In another corner of the arena, Sakura and Ino were sitting, awaiting the fight that was to come.

"_Where's Sasuke?" _Sakura thought as she looked around. Ino noticed this and started to speak.

"Hey, Sakura, relax, will you? Sasuke'll be here, but for now, watch Naruto's match."

"You're right. I should pay attention to my mysterious teammate."

"What's so mysterious about him?"

"He never shows his true potential. He may have things in store that no one has seen. I'm actually kind of excited."

Sakura leaned forward to watch, as did Ino.

In another area, a portion of the Hyûga family was sitting. A small, brown-haired girl sat next to a stoic-looking person. The stoic person spoke.

"Hanabi, look closely. He is probably the person that is blessed with the thickest Hyûga blood."

The girl named Hanabi nodded in agreement and leaned forward to watch.

(On the stadium ground)

"_His eyes are resolute. He has no doubt whatsoever," _Neji thought as he activated the Byakugan.

"This makes it even better. Now, I get to see the pain in your eyes after I allow you to face reality."

"You know," Naruto said as he lowered his fist and closed his eyes, "I thought about holding back on you to show you that you could be beaten by the dropouts you insult…"

Naruto stepped back with his right foot. "…but then…"

Naruto stepped forward with his left foot, bringing his left and right hands in front of him. "…I thought…"

Naruto opened his eyes, showing solid courage and sheer determination as he finished his statement. "…where's the fun in that?"

Neji smirked as Naruto put his hands together for a familiar seal.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto said as five clones appeared. Each one drew a kunai and spoke in unison.

"Let's start you off easy."

Naruto and the clones charged forward. Neji was able to dodge the initial attack from two of Naruto's clones by jumping over them. In mid-air, Naruto's other 2 clones tried to attack, but they were stopped by Neji's kick. The force of the blow destroyed the two clones and the first duo charged forward to attack from behind. Neji, with his Byakugan, was able to see them and he grabbed both of their wrists when they attacked. Neji then quickly turned to hit them both in the chest, making them puff out of existence.

Naruto watched as puffs of smoke appeared from both sides as the clones disappeared. Naruto then started to speak to Neji.

"So, before I continue, why do you insist that fate is the ruler of everything?"

"Why do you ask?" Neji asked Naruto, "Do you really believe that your dream of Hokage is attainable? I can tell, with these eyes, that talent and abilities are determined at birth. Only select individuals can become Hokage and I can tell you that you're not one of them."

Naruto began to scowl as Neji continued. "Wake up and face reality! The previous Hokage were born into that fate. Each person's life consists only of abiding to your inescapable fate and there is only one thing that we are all destined to do. That is to die."

Naruto continued to scowl as he brought his hands up to his favorite seal. "Well, I guess I'm just a little stubborn!"

Naruto made about a hundred clones and they filled a good portion of the arena. Naruto spoke again.

"You idiot; I've already found your pattern of attack."

"You shouldn't make so many assumptions, Neji," Naruto said as the clones charged forward.

Naruto was telepathically speaking to one of the clones.

"_Okay, you're general. You can command the clones while I execute my plan. Stay back and keep alert. I'll attack with the clones in between my preparations."_

The clone in question nodded his head slightly as Naruto raced off with his clones. Naruto was able to attack 5 fives while performing 13 hand-seals in between. Naruto was smirking when Neji rushed past him to target the general. The general was struck as a few of the clones disappeared for effect.

"The one who stays back on fear of having his tenketsu hit is the true one. The more the others attack, the more you are apparent. You are the real Naruto."

The general looked up and said one thing.

"You're not so observant after all, are you?"

The general vanished making Naruto smirk after seeing Neji's shocked face. Ten of the remaining clones rushed Neji to strike him from all sides. Neji looked shocked as the ten clones struck him…or so they thought.

Neji began to expel a large amount of chakra and spin counterclockwise as the clones floated in the air and flew off of him. Neji smirked as the clones looked in false shock. Naruto commanded them to attack again and they did. Naruto performed seals out of Neji's view, but everyone else could see them.

"Ushi, Saru, Tatsu, Hitsuji (Ox, Monkey, Dragon, and Ram)…"

Neji reacted the same way as the last attack and started the Kaiten. He was sure that the result would be the same, but…

"FÛTON: TATSUMAKI (Wind Release: Tornado)!" Naruto yelled as a large tornado plowed through the clones surrounding him. Neji, confident that the Hakkeshou Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Palm/Strike Rotation) would stop it easily, continued to spin. Imagine his surprise when…

…the tornado didn't stop spinning. Upon closer inspection, the tornado was spinning clockwise, conforming to the spin of the Kaiten and speeding up because of the spin. Also, the Kaiten was drawing to a close since Neji couldn't spin indefinitely. Neji dodged out of the way as soon as the Kaiten finished.

(Meanwhile, in the stands)

"Incredible," Kotetsu said, "he could use Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and that tornado technique. Where did he learn that, anyway?"

"I don't know, but that's probably a mid C-rank ninjutsu, at least!" Izumo said, looking at the attack in awe.

"The tornado's power is one thing, but that technique's ability to counter the Hyûga's Kaiten is incredible! It deserves a high C-rank at least!" Kotetsu said in response to Izumo's statement.

Kiba and Hinata looked down in awe as Naruto's Tornado stood up against the Kaiten. Both were thinking different thoughts.

"_Naruto-kun, when did you learn that? Only one other technique has beaten another master Jûken move, and that was Yondaime-sama's Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique)."_

"_Man, am I glad I'm not on the receiving end of that thing. Wait…those seals, I recognize them; he was going to use that on me!"_

In another area, Hiashi was clutching the end of his robes tightly as he was able to utter one word.

"Kaiten…"

(Back in the arena)

Neji tried to catch his breath after his quick escape as Naruto shouted out to him.

"Hey, don't think you're out of the woods yet!"

Neji looked at Naruto, who was thrusting his left hand towards where Neji was standing. The tornado seemed to come from nowhere as the tornado headed towards him. Neji ran as best as he could, away from the path of the tornado.

"_Run and hide in the shadow of the tornado and guide it towards Neji. Okay, when he dodges the tornado, go in for the kill. Charge your fist with two shots and hit him hard. Steady, now…"_

The tornado was headed near the wall as Neji tried to dodge it. 10 feet from the wall, Neji zipped out of the path of the tornado by dodging to the left side…

…right into the path of Naruto's right fist.

A lightning-charged fist met Neji as he flew into the wall. Naruto jumped back using the force of his own punch and thrust his left hand towards the area where Neji was. Neji, unable to escape, was hit by the tornado dead-on. When the tornado dissipated, a confident Naruto was met with a log.

"_Shit; where is he?"_

Suddenly, Naruto found Neji's palm on his chest as he was pushed down. Neji said one statement while radiating pure fury.

"You are within the rage of my Hakke (Divination)."

Neji then dropped into a stance; his left foot was in front and his right foot was in the back. His left hand hovered inches over Neji's left foot and his right hand was suspended over his head.

"Jûkenhô: Hakke Rokujûyonshô (Gentle Fist Move: Divination Field: 64 strikes)

Naruto stood as Neji charged forward.

"Hakke Nishô (Divination 2 strikes)"

Naruto was hit twice painfully. Naruto cringed as he looked at Neji.

"Yonshô (4 strikes)"

Naruto was hit two more times, making the grand total four.

"Hachishô (8 strikes)"

Naruto was hit 4 more times as the pain worsened.

"Jûrokushô (16 strikes)"

Naruto was now somewhat suspended in the air as Neji hit 8 more times.

"Sanjûnishô (32 strikes)"

Naruto was struck 16 times making the pain worsen exponentially.

"Rokujûyonshô (64 strikes)"

As Naruto was struck 32 more times, completing the set, Naruto was sent flying to the ground.

(In the stands)

"_It can't be…" _Hiashi thought as he looked at Neji's stance. _"Is it possible? A branch member has surpassed a main member completely. I will have to do something about that."_

In another area of the field, Sakura and Ino were staring in awe.

"Sakura, did you know that Naruto could do that?"

Sakura could only shake her head as she continued to watch.

"Was that what you meant by "true potential"?"

Sakura nodded this time.

"Holy shit; I wouldn't stand a chance…"

In another area, Kiba, Hinata, Kotetsu and Izumo looked on in awe. Kiba and Kotetsu spoke.

"He was going to use…that on me?" Kiba gulped.

"That is definitely a B-rank ninjutsu." Kotetsu said in awe.

(On the field)

Naruto groaned in pain as he heard Neji speak.

"I've hit 64 of your tenketsu on your body. You can no longer stand."

Naruto tried to shoot Neji a glare, but he couldn't lift his eyes off of the ground.

"It must be infuriating. You're here on your knees before my superior strength. You should be able to see your powerlessness. You shouldn't believe that your dreams will become reality if you try hard enough. It's a lie."

"_Damn it; Damn it; I can't lose here! I won't lose here! I made a vow; I will win!"_

The people in the arena and the people in the stands looked in shock as Naruto got up, albeit unsteadily.

"I told you; I'm really stubborn!"

"Just give up, already! If you keep going, it'll be no different. I don't have much of a grudge against you, so…"

"Shut up, will you? I do, okay!"

"What are you talking about?" Neji asked with a stoic expression.

"How is it that you, who is so powerful, even attempt to call other people failures? Hinata is not a failure! If anyone should be a failure, it should be me! But I, the worst student in my class, have given you, the best student in your class, a great injury, in case you haven't noticed!"

Indeed he had. Neji was clutching his side, which was bleeding and Neji's face was bruised on the side that Naruto hit him. Neji had various cuts all over his boy from the tornado attack and he was in a great deal of pain, even if he didn't show it.

"Also," Naruto continued, "I have no idea what the hell is the problem between the Main House and Branch House, but, I'll never forgive a jerk who calls other people failures!"

Neji stood in silence before smirking and speaking.

"Hmm, if you insist, I'll tell you. There is a reason behind the hateful legacy of the Hyûga clan!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes and listened as Neji spoke.

"There is a secret technique in the Hyûga clan that is passed down in the Main Branch. It's a Jûin Jutsu (Curse Seal Technique)."

Naruto kept silent as Neji continued.

"The mark represents a "Caged Bird" and its proof that people are bound by birth by the fate they hold."

Neji then took off his headband, revealing a green mark. Two prongs that looked like hooks extended to the center of his forehead where a Buddhist Manji lay.

"What is that?" Naruto asked in shock. Neji ignored the question as he continued.

"One day, when I was four, this accursed mark was branded onto my forehead using the Jûin Jutsu. On that day, there was a great celebration in Konoha. We were welcoming the shinobi leader of the Land of Clouds to sign a peace treaty to end the war. Every ninja in Konoha attended, except for one family; the Hyûga clan. On that day, coincidentally, the heir of the Main Branch turned three."

Naruto opened his eyes wide as he realized which ceremony he was talking about.

"_I remember that day; I was forced to do all the chores in the orphanage because everyone else left to celebrate."_

"It was Hinata-sama's third birthday!" Neji said, gaining Naruto's attention. Neji then stopped for a moment and looked up at the area where the Hyûga family sat. Neji spoke while looking up.

"My father and Hinata-sama's father, Hyûga Hizashi and Hyûga Hiashi-sama, were twin brothers. However, Hiashi-sama came into the world first and was made a member of the Main Branch where my father was made a member of the Cadet Branch."

Naruto chose this moment to speak. "Why do they have to separate the Main and Cadet Branches? What's the purpose?"

"The mark on my forehead is not decoration. It is an absolute threat of death imposed upon the Cadet Branch. The destruction of the Cadet Branch is easily accomplished since the mark destroys the brain cells of the person afflicted at the will of the Main Branch. Also, the mark fades only after death, after sealing away the Byakugan!"

Naruto gave a shocked look as Neji spoke again.

"The Hyûga clan possesses on of the most distinguished Bloodlines. Many people have attempted to capture its secrets and many others would do anything to acquire such secrets. So, in response to this, the Jûin Jutsu was created to ensure the safety of the Byakugan and to make the Cadet Branch live for one purpose: to protect the Byakugan at all costs! You see, it's because of that purpose, the incident happened."

"What incident are you talking about?" Naruto asked. Neji chuckled darkly, scaring Naruto slightly.

"My father was murdered by the Main Branch. One night, someone attempted to kidnap Hinata-sama. Hiashi-sama heard the intruder and killed him on sight. The masked bandit was, in fact, the Shinobi Leader of the Clouds that we just signed the treaty with. It was clear that they attempted to steal the Byakugan, but the Land of Clouds accused Konoha due to their dead ninja. The war almost resumed when Konoha made a backroom bargain with Cloud."

Naruto narrowed his eyes as Neji continued to speak.

"They demanded that the body of Hiashi-sama be sent to them. Konoha accepted. War was safely averted at the price of not Hyûga Hiashi's life, but Hyûga Hizashi, his twin brother. They were of equal strength, but the difference of the order of birth sealed their fates. So, in this match, your fate was sealed when I became your opponent."

Naruto scowled as he stood to fight. Naruto immediately got to thinking.

"_He's really had it rough. His dad was basically murdered in front of his own eyes. I'd like to feel sorry for him, but I've had it many times worse than he has."_

As Neji replaced his forehead protector, Naruto spoke.

"I don't know how you've really had it; having your father killed long ago, but you're wrong if you think that you can use that alone to say that fate rules all."

"You're hopeless," Neji said as he thrust a palm into Naruto's chest. Naruto instantly retaliated with a shot to the shoulder since the Denkô Dangan technique was still active. Naruto flew to the ground as Neji clutched his shoulder. Neji turned away and faced the examiner.

"He won't be getting up anytime soon."

As he walked away, Neji turned his head and said, "You dropout," before continuing. He was interrupted by Naruto's voice, however.

"Don't run away."

Neji turned to see Naruto unsteadily rising as he spoke.

"I'm not running away. I'll never take back my words. That's my way of the ninja!"

"I've heard that before," Neji said with a smirk.

"I won't lose to a coward who tries to blame everything on fate and shit like that!" Naruto said confidently."

Neji narrowed his eyes and activated his Byakugan out of anger.

"You know nothing. Don't try to lecture me. People carry an unchangeable fate. To carry a seal that can never be removed; a fool like you can never understand that!"

Naruto stayed silent. The anger within him rose up to great heights, but Naruto knew just which buttons to push to set Neji over the edge. Naruto remembered the way he was treated his entire life. He remembered the loneliness and pain of complete solitude and he found out how to piss Neji off while saying the absolute truth.

"No, you're wrong," Naruto said calmly, "I understand. What about it?"

Neji's eyes were a portrait of fury as Naruto continued. "Stop acting like you're the only one. You're not the only one who has suffered in their lives."

Neji's fists started to shake as his anger rose.

"Hinata-chan was suffering, just like you. Also, believe it or not, there are people who've had it worse. In fact, I could point a couple of them out right now."

Neji was almost blinded by rage at this point.

"Also, about Hinata-chan, she was trying to gain the acknowledgement of those around her, even if she was from the Main Branch. The determination she had shone bright when she fought you, even after she was injured."

Neji couldn't speak as he was forced to listen to Naruto.

"Also, that goes for you, too; the Cadet Branch is supposed to protect the Main Branch, but you tried to kill Hinata-chan, even if it was just an exam! You were also fighting fate, weren't you?" Naruto asked loudly.

Up in the stands, Hinata smiled.

Naruto ended his little speech and coughed due to his injuries. Neji smirked.

"How are you going to fight? You're injured and you can no longer use chakra for a while. In the end, you'll end up just like Hinata-sama."

"Shut up; don't talk like you know everything with your Byakugan!"

"Then, show me what I don't know." Neji said as Naruto steadied himself. Naruto immediately got to thinking.

"_Damn; even as I say that, I feel no chakra within me. It's just like when I was training with Ero-Sennin." _

Naruto raised his head as he found the key. Naruto smirked as he thought.

"_That's right; I have Kyûbi's chakra at my disposal. I'll use that."_

Naruto dove to the depths of his mind and shouted into the darkness.

"Stupid Fox; lend me your power!"

At first, Naruto felt nothing.

(Meanwhile, In Naruto's Mind)

"**_Give him the damn chakra, you stupid fox!" _**Yondaime yelled through the bars of the gate.

"**Why should I?" **Kyûbi said in response, happy to be able to taunt the Yondaime for once instead of the other way around.

"_**You know, I can go inside that seal at will and kick your puny weakened demon butt."** _Yondaime said, seething.

"**Yeah, I know; but I also know that I can still take you down even in my weakened state. I can't kill you, but I can beat you within an inch of your afterlife," **Kyûbi said cockily.

Yondaime growled as he attempted to think up another way to threaten the Kyûbi. Yondaime got an excellent idea after thinking about Naruto's training in the past month. Yondaime used his "chakra" and fashioned a Denkô Dangan technique. Charging all five shots into one finger, Yondaime fired the incredible bolt at the Kyûbi. Kyûbi was hit in the torso and he attempted to claw Yondaime through the gate. Yondaime was about to do it again, but…

"_Stupid Fox, lend me your power!"_

Impressed at the bravery (or stupidity) of Naruto, Kyûbi allowed a medium (for him, at least) wave of chakra to flood out. Yondaime looked surprised as his eyes followed the red chakra outside of the room. The surprised and dumbfounded looked turned into an angry one as he faced Kyûbi.

"**_That's it?" _**he asked, annoyed.

"**Yeah, that's it," **Kyûbi said simply.

"**_I had to shoot you with a full power lightning shot! All he had to do was insult you once and you give it to him?" _**Yondaime yelled.

"**Yeah, that's right."**

"**_I did that too! Why didn't you give it to him then?" _**Yondaime yelled as Kyûbi retained a calm face.

"**Because," **Kyubi said, smirking, **"I like messing with you."**

Yondaime now felt like going in there and shoving a Rasengan up his fuzzy, nine-tailed ass.

(Outside)

Naruto felt a pulse within him as Neji spoke.

"The talk stops here. Mr. Examiner, I intend to kill him. Stop me when you see fit."

Naruto chuckled as he placed his hands in a seal. Naruto started to try and wrench the power out as he tried to gather chakra. Naruto noticed that Neji tried to say something, but he wasn't paying attention.

"_I can't lose here!"_

Naruto felt a slight wave of power go up his spine.

"_I won't lose here!"_

Naruto felt the wave extend to his limbs.

"_I will…"_

Naruto felt his arms and legs being released from a hold of some sort.

"_I WILL WIN!" _

Naruto felt the invisible bindings around him break as Neji spoke.

"Why do you fight against your fate so hard?"

Naruto lifted his head up and answered as he stared with confident eyes.

"It's because…you called me a dropout."

Naruto started to release the chakra around him, forming a red circle for those who could see it. All of Naruto's wounds healed, regardless of it's location inside or outside of his body. Neji looked on in shock as a red flame appeared in Naruto's stomach and spread to all parts of his body. Neji could see the chakra form itself into a beastly figure and Neji stepped back in fear. Around Naruto, everyone could see nine tendrils of chakra. Each of the people that knew Naruto personally thought differently, but they all wondered one thing.

"_What the hell is that?"_

The people who knew the function of the tenketsu and the Hakke Rokujûyonshô all thought, _"That's impossible! He shouldn't be able to do that!"_

All of the people that recognized the chakra all thought, _"Is that what I think it is?"_

Hinata in particular, thought one thing.

"_Naruto-kun, what is that mysterious chakra? How can it reopen your tenketsu? Also, why does it feel so…sinister?"_

Neji, paralyzed in fear and shock, could only watch as the tendrils of chakra reverted back into Naruto. Naruto then was slowly surrounded in a red aura. Naruto, from the perspective of everyone present, looked as if he was on fire, even if he wasn't burning.

Naruto looked at his hand and thought.

"_This feels incredible. I feel even more powerful than when I started. Even if it's powerful powerful, this chakra is unstable though so I'm limited to the techniques that require chakra alone."_

Naruto smirked before disappearing before Neji's eyes. Naruto was still wearing his weights, but Naruto felt faster, even with them on. Neji had to dodge Naruto's fist as he barely saw it. Neji and Naruto each then drew a kunai. Jumping back, they threw their respective kunai at each other. The projectiles impacted in mid-air as both Naruto and Neji skidded to a halt. They both charged forward, grabbing a kunai and clanging it against their opponent's kunai.

Naruto landed, using the kunai as a root as Neji landed, holding his shoulder and side in pain due to his injuries. Naruto asked one more thing before continuing.

"You're confident in short-range fighting, huh?"

Neji looked up to see a charging Naruto rushing towards him. Naruto was prepared to punch through him with his lightning charged fist as Naruto placed two shots into the field, surrounding his fist in red lightning. Naruto spoke one last time as he rushed towards Neji.

"If you think it's impossible, then don't do anything!"

Neji widened his eyes as he tried to start the Kaiten. Naruto punched as Neji set up the chakra cocoon. Naruto continued to speak.

"Because, when I become Hokage,"

Naruto's punch connected as Neji started to spin.

"I'll change the Hyûga for you!"

A large explosion came out from within the arena. Most of the viewers were blinded for a moment as a cloud of dust rose. As the dust cleared, all anyone could see were 2 holes in the ground. The crowd watched in anticipation as one of the holes spat up a few rocks. A pale hand shot out of the hole. A few people fell back into their seats in relief as others shot up out of theirs in alarm. Neji heaved himself out of his hole with difficulty and trudged over to Naruto's hole, clutching his injuries. There, in the hole, lay Naruto, unconscious. Neji started to speak.

"I'm sorry, Dropout Boy, but this is reality. I hope you realize…"

Neji then started to hear crackling from below him. Neji looked down and stared just in time to be met with Naruto's fist. Neji was knocked to the ground as Naruto made a surprise entry. Naruto landed as Neji lay on the ground, paralyzed in pain.

The Naruto in the hole puffed away in smoke, revealing a hole underneath it. Naruto's fingers were bleeding from the fingernails. Naruto stood, panting as Neji spoke on the ground.

"You made a Shadow Clone in that situation? It's your favorite technique, huh? I was careless."

After Naruto regained his composure, he began to speak to Neji.

"I've failed the graduating exam 3 times. I was always unlucky because the ninjutsu test was concerning the ninjutsu I hated the most."

Neji widened his eyes in realization as he realized what he was saying.

"Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique) was my worst ninjutsu."

Naruto looked down at Neji as a small breeze passed. Neji scowled slightly as Naruto continued.

"So, stop complaining about fate and how it can't be changed…"

Naruto slightly turned as he finished.

"…because, you're not a loser like me."

Naruto turned completely to walk away, but started to run and scream as soon as he was declared the winner. Neji was still lying on the ground and he heard Naruto's shouts of joy.

"_He's still has enough energy to run? What a guy."_

(A little later)

Naruto was walking up the stairs to the area where he was supposed to wait and he saw Neji being picked up and moved to the medical wing.

"_I've done enough. I could've beaten him within an inch of his life, but I don't think that's necessary. I hope he realizes how wrong he was to hurt Hinata-chan like that."_

Naruto continued to walk up the stairs until he heard something.

"Tmp, tmp, tmp, THUMP"

"…ouch"

Naruto looked to the source of the noise to see that a blonde-haired person dressed in blue and white was lying on the ground face down. A red figure about the size of the blonde-haired person with brown hair and a short, blue figure with silver hair were helping her up. He couldn't see any of their faces, but he could tell that the blonde was blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"You know, you really should watch where you're going," the short, blue figure said as he laughed and carried the blonde's left arm.

"I'm sorry," the blonde said as she got up.

"That's enough; seriously, you apologize too much," the red figure said, annoyed as he carried her right arm.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the blonde said.

The red figure groaned while the small figure laughed. The two other figures let go of the blonde as she dusted herself off. The blue figure spoke to the red figure.

"Honestly, your sense of direction sucks! We should have been at our seats before the match started! Now, it's over!"

"S-shut up; we're almost there, anyway! Come on, follow me!"

The red figure started to walk nowhere in particular as the blue figure groaned and followed. The blonde giggled softly before following her friends.

Naruto chuckled before continuing up the stairs.

(End Chapter)

A/N: I know it's shorter than the others, but I wanted the Naruto vs. Neji fight to have a chapter of its own. I like that fight that much. I hope you like it. Now, REVIEW OR I SHALL SEND A FÛTON: TATSUMAKI ATTACK TOWARDS THEE!

**Revision Notice: **Thank you, **Kitsu Maharu **and **Era-chan** for helping me fix my mistakes. I really appreciate your effort.


	21. Chapter 20: Something Different

A/N: I'm back from the depths of my mind, bringing a new chapter with me! By the way, at the end of my last chapter, I took a page out of **Arganaut**'s book and put some out-of-series characters in. I wonder if you can guess who they are. Here's a hint: it has to do something with Naruto's choice in sword style. I hope you like it…

NOTE: This chapter has been rewritten due to confusion among the reviewers. I'm also making it longer. There aren't really any changes until the Naruto vs. Temari fight.

Here are the Review responses.

**VFSNAKE: **I'm glad you liked the factors. Just wait until the next chapter…

**Dragonzice: **Yup, very interesting; I'm glad you liked it.

**Ame-no-hana: **Do you know your name means Flower's Rain? It's really nice. Anyway, I stopped using Japanese in my story beyond Techniques and whenever I feel like it. I thank you for your corrections nonetheless.

**BioDragon: **I didn't make it too obvious, but I can tell you that a few reviewers guessed it already.

**Dragon Man 180: **When I say that that's one of my favorite fights, I mean it's one of the BEST fights in Naruto, in my opinion. I did change a little, but I kept it mostly the same because I liked it so much. I think Kiba is really thanking God that Naruto didn't use it on him.

**Causeiambetta: **Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **I said it was one of my favorite fights. Neji got his ass royally kicked by Naruto, the Dropout. I really loved that.

**Silver Warrior: **You're right; I checked his age after I put him in my story and I said, "Oops, I guess I'll have to up Hayate's age a little," so I did. He's around 35 in my story, as is Keiko.

**Tsugiko: **I'm glad you liked it. I'll update soon…

**VenomLord: **Yes, giving people a taste of the unexpected is really fun. Anyway, I'm glad you liked my chapters. I thank you for your suggestions about adding the funny, but battles are a little serious, especially in battles like this. I'm glad you liked the interactions within Naruto. I'm going to include a lot of them because I like them too. About Hinata and bringing her along, I already planned on doing so. You'll see when I get there.

**Light of the Demons: **I couldn't use it word for word, but I did keep it similar. At least you guessed who they were. I didn't make it really obvious, but I made it so people could figure it out.

**Clone Daniel: **I'm glad you thought so. I gave this fight some (unusually) great thought before writing it. Anyway, I like the arguments within Naruto's belly. They're great.

**Lochar: **Hmm, you know, I forgot about that. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Anyway, just so you know, they're not brats. They're three characters from a certain other source.

**Conan98002: **HAHAHAHA! Nice one! Thanks for your review. I'm pretty sure he won't be able to do certain things for a while. Anyway, about Kiba, I think some people will have some cleaning up to do. Also, Tatsumaki was a pretty good idea, seeing as I made it up as I walked through school one day.

**Novoxz: **Looking back, I agree with you about my crappy ass beginning. After reading my own story over, I did notice that I made my changes pretty smooth despite having not much of a plan about writing the story. The only thing I really had in mind was, "You know, I need to make my freakishly short chapters longer so people won't whine about my chapters." I'll keep your suggestion in mind as I write my future chapters. Thanks for your excellent review.

**Anime-Boy07: **I'm glad you liked my chapter.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I'm pretty loyal to this fight so I purposely kept it similar in some parts. If you read my Disclaimer Part 2 in my last chapter, I you would've been warned. Anyway, about the Raiton technique; Neji didn't see him cast it. He was hiding in his swarm of clones while going through the seals. Also, Neji wouldn't really know about the effects of the technique after activation so he would've thought that hitting the tenketsu would block off the flow of chakra to the hand, therefore deactivating the technique. I really didn't goof up in that little aspect. Thanks for your concern, though.

**Manwaithiel: **That's nice. I'm glad you like my story.

**ShadowBack: **I'm glad you like it. They're not a couple, but they sure act like one.

**Korigo starless: **I did say that I wanted to keep it similar.

**Chidori vs Rasengan: **It's nice that you check.

**Kitsu Maharu: **I see that now. Thanks for pointing that out. Here's a little food for Guu Gagu Lolo the 6th of the Kataro Kohei Tsuki no Tsubasa tribe. You're not that bad. You don't need to change yourself unless you feel you have to.

**Hybrid thing: **That was a good typing day.

**Marine Brother Shran: **Thanks for the overly praising review. I mean, it's great that you like it so much. I'll put in the funny when I can factor it in. I mean, a misplaced funny can ruin a story, right? I'll admit that I took an idea (one in the entire story; Jûkai Enmu) from **Tellemicus **but all of the other similarities are only coincidences. I'm sorry, but it'll ruin everything if I answered your questions. Thanks for the excellent review!

**Era-chan: **Thanks for making the effort to check for me. I make mistakes all the time that I accidentally forget.

**Shadowkeeper113: **Think about it; when the Third uses the same sealing technique against Orochimaru, he says that the two souls would be trapped in the Death God's stomach, fighting for eternity. Since the Yondaime sealed the Kyûbi's soul within Naruto's body instead of himself, the Death God couldn't eat it. Also, the Death God couldn't get the Yondaime's soul either since the two were supposed to be fighting in the same place. So, since the seal the Yondaime did was one for a shape-shifting, nine-tailed demon and not a human, he could escape easily while the Kyûbi was trapped.

**NewSon: **Actually, the Swastika is a reversed Manji turned 45 degrees. As for the pairing, I haven't thought about it. How about a suggestion?

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **Thanks; I enjoyed writing it.

**Freedomforlove: **Ok, sure.

**Rago Dragovian: **Thanks for saying so. I mean, I wanted it similar, but not TOO similar.

**LunaSphere: **I stopped writing Japanese for trivial things like that. I only use it for ninja tools, technique, and honorifics.

**Black Saint: **Thanks for saying so. I have a question, though. I thought there were only three stages to the Rasengan. Is there more? If so, please tell me what they are.

**Engelmohr2004: **Thanks

**WarShadow: **I'm sorry, but I can't really factor it in right now. After the invasion of Konoha, I'll start concentrating on the fluffy.

**SilverNightsFreedom: **…

**Divinechaosdragoon: **Thanks; I'm glad you guessed who they were.

**Kyuubi-Dono: **Um, Why'd you do that?

**Dark-Dragon-Chick: **HA, I'm glad someone agrees with me! I have to go to YouTube and look at the Japanese version to save my ears.

**Jeefus: **I may do this later on. Right now, he probably won't be able to.

**Awlric Havell: **I'll be looking forward to it. Also, it may be a misunderstanding, but I like **useful **reviews, not necessarily long ones.

**Gohan-Chan: **No, she didn't. You'll see.

**TheWraith1: **First of all, you'll find out. Second of all, I like **useful **reviews, not necessarily long ones. I can forgive a person who has given me a good review in the past, but doesn't have an idea at the moment. Thirdly, you'll find out in this chapter. Fourthly, it will, but Naruto will make something else during that time. Fifthly, he will, I don't know when. Finally, I'm not sure. I'll have to think about it.

**Shikyo Yaiba: **That's a technique of my own design.

**Storm Master Tempest: **If you have any ideas, then by all means, review and tell me! I update relatively quickly, but I have a few problems in the real world that need my caring to. I might not be able to update as soon as I'd like.

Now, to clear things up, I have something to say. I thank most of you for actually listening to me when I said I wanted better reviews. There seems to be some confusion about what I really meant, though. I did say I wanted better reviews, but I really meant that I wanted reviews that may be of **some use** to me. It doesn't necessarily mean that I want an extremely long review, unless you have a lot of questions/suggestions. I hope I cleared things up.

Disclaimer:

Here's the 21st installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate". I'm starting to consider changing the title, though.

(Chapter Start)

"_Holy crap; I didn't know he was that skilled. He's been hiding a lot, hasn't he? Also, I'm pretty sure that he hasn't revealed everything he is capable of," _Shikamaru thought as Naruto left the arena ground and walked up to the participants' box.

"Oh, crap; I thought Naruto was in the not-so-cool group like me," Shikamaru said.

"What do you mean; not-so-cool group?" Shino asked beside him.

"Naruto's victory against that Hyûga is going to put him in the cool group for sure. I'm in big trouble."

Naruto walked in at that moment and smiled at Shikamaru and Shino, holding the back of his head with both of his hands.

"That was a nice match, Naruto. Where did you learn that wind technique?"

"Somewhere," Naruto said suspiciously with a glint in his eye.

"That technique was very…interesting. I am also curious regarding the origins of that technique," Shino said.

"I know, wasn't it? I'm not telling where I got it, though," Naruto said.

"You are impossible to get information from, aren't you, Naruto. I'd have to probably torture the info out of you, but that would be way too troublesome."

"You got that right. I'm not telling anyone about where I got that one; at least, not yet."

"_Hmm, he's not dropping any hints in his choice of words. He's really good at hiding things when he really wants to. The only thing that irks me is the fact that he said "not yet". Does he plan on telling someone else? If that's true, who would it be?" _Shikamaru thought.

Shikamaru was interrupted by a large gust of wind. Shikamaru walked to the railing and focused in front of him to see that Temari was gliding down on her fan. Shikamaru started to think again.

"_I really don't feel like fighting right now. I should just give up."_

Shikamaru was ripped out of his thoughts rather rudely as Naruto smacked him on the back and yelled.

"Go, Shikamaru; SHOW US YOUR STUFF!"

Shikamaru lost his balance as Naruto's rather hard hit shoved him over the railing. Naruto had his eyes closed and he didn't notice that he pushed the lazy boy over the edge of the box, sending him to a semi-painful greeting with Terra Firma.

"_Damn you, Naruto; that really hurt."_

Shikamaru merely looked up to the sky and stared at the clouds. Lying on the ground, the people in the stands were getting impatient. They started to throw debris in the arena, some of which hit Shikamaru on the head.

"_I really don't feel like fighting…" _

Shikamaru was ripped out of his thoughts by a feminine voice.

"What; are you going to give up?"

Shikamaru looked to see Temari and he thought again.

"_Why am I always stuck fighting women? I fought one troublesome woman in the preliminaries and I have to face one now?"_

Shikamaru was interrupted by 2 voices this time. The first came from Naruto.

"Shikamaru; get off your lazy butt and fight!"

The second came from Temari.

"If you're not going to attack, I will!"

Temari charged forward and swung her fan downward as Genma tried to stop her. He stopped protesting a moment later when Shikamaru pulled out 2 kunai. Temari slammed her fan down where Shikamaru was lying and a large dust cloud appeared. Temari looked down and was surprised to note that he wasn't there anymore. Temari then looked up and she saw Shikamaru on the wall, standing on his two kunai.

"You know, a man can't lose to a woman. I guess I'll have to fight."

Temari swung her fan again towards Shikamaru, sending another dust cloud upwards. When it cleared, Temari saw that Shikamaru had escaped again.

"_He's really good at running away. He uses the shadows as a weapon so he's trying to lure me to a shady spot. It won't work, though," _Temari thought.

Up in a tree, Shikamaru was thinking.

"_But, of course, men aren't supposed to hit women. I don't want to get hit, either. Why am I the only one who gets a woman as an opponent?" _

Shikamaru looked upward into the sky and sighed.

"_The clouds are so nice. They look so free. I only became a ninja so I could have a fun life. It seems that it's not that easy…"_

Temari scowled and swung her fan again; this time, saying something at the same time.

"Ninpô: Kamaitachi (Ninja Art: Cutting Whirlwind Technique)," Temari said, creating a large gust that was felt by everyone present. Tenten in particular scowled fiercely at the wind.

The trees near Shikamaru were slashed with the technique as a large dust cloud appeared. Temari looked down to the floor and began to jump back as Shikamaru's shadow shot out of the cloud. Temari flipped backward over and over as Shikamaru's shadow gained quickly. Temari was about to flip again, but she knew she was going to be caught by the extremely fast shadow. She braced for the paralyzing effect of the technique when…

…it stopped, not 6 inches from her shadow. Temari jumped back again and scraped her fan's edge across the ground, marking it. She then smirked and began to speak.

"I get it now. Your Kagemane no Jutsu allows you to stretch your shadow at will, but it can only stretch while maintaining its surface area."

Shikamaru nodded and looked upward as Temari did some calculations. Shikamaru then squatted down and placed his fingers together, creating a U-shape with the top shut off by his thumbs. Shikamaru closed his eyes and began to think as Temari watched in confusion.

Naruto looked down from his position in the participants' box and smirked.

"_Shikamaru has got this in the bag."_

About 5 minutes later, Shikamaru opened his eyes showing a somewhat determined look. He then reached behind him and placed his had in his weapons' pouch. Temari smirked.

"It seems you're a little bit more motivated now," she said as she opened her fan. She swung it violently, creating another great gust.

Drawing a kunai, Shikamaru dove behind a tree and took off his jacket. He remained there and fashioned his tool as Temari unleashed wave after wave of wind.

Naruto was getting a little bored. To kill time, Naruto started to practice using the metal heating technique and the metal cooling technique without seals. He melted the railing with his left hand and reformed it with his right. He was pretty discreet about it, so no one really noticed. Also, he was thinking about how Naruto would fight against either of them if they got matched up.

"_Let's see. If I fight Shikamaru, he'll probably be pretty exhausted since he used Kagemane no Jutsu so many times. Unfortunately, that would mean an easy win. If I fight Temari, I'll be able to show off more of my skills, but I don't really want to reveal that much. I think I can use my new kunai to help me out, though. That Kamaitachi doesn't seem that tough."_

Naruto then started to devise a strategy to defeat Temari while continuing his heating/cooling exercise. By the time Naruto got the hang of the heating and cooling, it was about 30 minutes later and Temari was swinging her fan for another wave.

"You can't hide forever!"

A large dust cloud appeared and distorted the view in that direction. Temari was on guard when a kunai suddenly flew out. She jumped back and moved her fan to block a second kunai. Temari then, staying behind the line, saw that the shadow was heading towards her again.

"_It's okay. As long as I stay here, I'm perfectly…"_

The shadow was closing in on the line without showing any slowing down. Temari widened her eyes and jumped back, dodging the technique. The shadow suddenly stopped very close to Temari, but it didn't recede like last time.

"_He was waiting for the sun to set so he could use more of the wall's shadow. That's really a sneaky technique."_

Temari sighed as she heard a voice.

"Temari; look above you!"

She immediately looked up to see Shikamaru's floating jacket. The jacket floated to the end of Shikamaru's shadow and Temari recognized it easily.

"Shit," she said as she struggled to dodge the shadow and its newfound extension. The shadow finally stopped and Temari jumped back.

"_Perfect," _Shikamaru thought as he let his shadow recede.

Temari slammed her fan into the ground, creating a small wall between them. She then ducked under the fan to shield her body as she thought up a plan.

"_This ends here. I'll create a clone to distract him and then I'll attack after the clone is bound."_

She peeked over her fan to see that the shadow was going back as she started to create the seals for the technique. In the middle of her seals, though…

"_What's going on? Why can't I move my body? His shadow shouldn't be able to reach me!"_

Shikamaru smirked as Temari looked over to see that her involuntary movements were the conscious movements of Shikamaru. She saw him smirk as he spoke.

"I think you're wondering what happened. Here, I'll show you."

Shikamaru turned his head and Temari did the same, allowing her to see behind her.

She saw that Shikamaru's shadow originated from the hole behind her. Shikamaru walked forward as he explained, making Temari walk forward as well.

"I connected my shadow to yours by moving it through that hole. The hole that Naruto dug up to win his match was the one I used."

They met at the edge of the wall's shadow and Shikamaru slowly raised his hand. Temari winced, thinking of Shikamaru's finishing blow as he said something that no one expected.

"I give up. I lose."

Everyone was basically shocked out of their chairs. Even Naruto, who may have expected this, almost fell out of the box by applying too much physical pressure on a newly cooled railing, breaking a small section of it off. Shino knowingly stepped away from him, patiently waiting for the explosion that was Uzumaki Naruto. He also thought about how Naruto broke the railing.

Temari was equally stunned. She stared in exasperation and was only able to stutter an inquiry.

"W-what are you saying?"

"I'm almost out of chakra from using Kagemane no Jutsu so many times. I can probably hold you for another 10 seconds. I've thought up all the possibilities and I found that it's too troublesome to continue. One match is good enough for me."

Shikamaru shrugged and Temari noticed that she wasn't doing the same. Temari felt her body being released and moved a little to check as Shikamaru started to walk off. She then used her fan to get back up to the participant's box.

Meanwhile, Naruto was beginning to fume. He started to yell out in rage as Shino smirked.

"Why did he give up? All he had to do was knock her down to win! That was just pathetic!"

"Naruto-san…" Shino started, trying to calm him down.

"I'm going to go down there and give him one hell of a scolding!" he yelled as he jumped from the railing, careful to avoid the breakage from earlier.

Naruto landed and ran over to Shikamaru's position and started to yell.

"You idiot! Why did you give up?" Naruto yelled.

"Shut up; super idiot; what's done is done. It's all good."

"No it's not! That's totally unacceptable! You had to give up just before you won, didn't you?"

"Shut up, Naruto; let's just go up so we can watch the next match. Hopefully, Shino could make his quick so we could watch what's next."

Naruto only smirked as he thought of what Sasuke would do in his match.

Naruto started to walk off as Genma called the next match.

"Aburame Shino and Sabaku no Kankurô; come down here to start your match."

Kankurô glanced toward Temari with a questioning look in his eye. Temari nodded and Kankurô raised his hand.

"Examiner; I'm giving up. Go to the next match."

Genma nodded as the crowd instantly got excited. Naruto, on the field, was also getting excited.

"_Finally, I get to see what Sasuke is capable of after this month's training."_

(Meanwhile)

"Hokage-sama, Uchiha Sasuke has not arrived. What shall we do?" a jônin asked.

"Hmm, according to the rules, we are to disqualify him," the Hokage said

"Are you referring to Uchiha Sasuke? He's disqualified?" the Kazekage said in response.

"I must."

"I see; but is there any way to postpone his disqualification?" the Kazekage asked.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but there is no reason to wait for him if there isn't a valid reason for his tardiness," the jônin said.

"Well, I have a good reason for him."

"What might that be?" the Hokage asked skeptically.

"I can safely say that most of the head ninja and the feudal lords have come to watch the next match. I am included."

"But," the jônin started.

"He is the survivor of the Uchiha massacre. We of the Sand would love to see him fight our Gaara."

The Hokage furrowed his brow and a small pause rose. He then spoke, since the Kazekage was so adamant on waiting.

"So, Kazekage-dono (-dono is a ranking of respect higher than –sama); do you have any ideas on how we are to proceed?"

"That I do, Hokage-dono. Both matches of one bracket have been completed. Why can't we wait for Uchiha Sasuke while watching the second match of the first bracket?"

"Hmm," the Hokage said as he thought. The jônin waited patiently for an answer. The Hokage sighed and nodded and the jônin disappeared. The Hokage spoke.

"Kazekage-dono; you don't usually say that much."

"Well, you could say that I'm excited to see the match between the best of Leaf and the best of Sand."

(On the field)

Genma was currently listening to a jônin that appeared behind him. He frowned slightly and sighed before saying the news to the crowd.

"_Seriously, between the crowd's screaming and the fights today, I'm getting one hell of a headache." _

"Ladies and Gentlemen; I'm terribly sorry, but one of the contenders for the next fight is not present. We will proceed with the next battle."

The crowd roared out in protest, making Genma scowl. Naruto, who was still on the field, was confused.

"_What "next battle" is he talking about? After Sasuke's fight, there shouldn't be any more…"_

Genma continued after the crowd settled down a bit.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Sabaku no Temari; please come down for your match."

Naruto and Temari both had their jaws dropped to the ground. In unison, they yelled out in indignation.

"Are you serious? I have to fight him/her now? You've got to be kidding me!"

Naruto stormed up to Genma and started yelling some more as Temari floated down on her fan.

"What happened to Sasuke's match? His match is before this one!"

"Hold on, Naruto; Sasuke will fight after this fight. He has to arrive before your match is over or else he's disqualified."

Temari looked up in shock after landing.

"_The plan is screwed up enough. He has to show up or else the plan is completely destroyed! I'm going to have to kill time so he can show up. I can only hold out for so long, though."_

Naruto was still growling as he thought.

"_Damn; I thought I would have more time to recover and think up a strategy. I'm not as good as Shikamaru at this, you know. I guess I'll have to use my old abilities so I won't have to reveal much more."_

Naruto reluctantly went to the center and faced Temari. Temari stood with her hand on her fan, ready to fight. Genma raised is hand and started to speak.

"The next match begins NOW!"

Temari jumped back instantly. Reaching her hand into the weapons' pouch on her side, she drew a small red pellet. Naruto gasped as she popped it into her mouth and swallowed. Clutching her fan, she prepared to swing it. Naruto tried to run, but he had some trouble.

"_Damn it; what's wrong with my weights? Why can't I move that well? Move, damn you, move!" _

Naruto was hit with a wave of wind, knocking him over. Naruto had difficulty standing up. Temari the swung her fan again, creating a larger gust.

Naruto was carried upward with the gust and he righted himself in the air while blocking the blades of wind. When he came down, he braced his fall, but he still felt the weight. Naruto, deciding that he can't move that well, thought of something else.

Naruto drew his new kunai and hit it using his wrist and arm. When Temari swung her fan, Naruto was ready.

"Ninpô: Kamaitachi!" Temari shouted, sending an extremely large gust towards Naruto. Naruto brought his kunai out of hiding and got into position just as the winds hit him. Temari scowled.

"Oh, come on; don't say you're out of it already!" she shouted towards the large dust cloud. As the dust cleared, Temari saw…

…Naruto smiling with his hands behind his back. He had both of his hands behind him and he was looking like he won the lottery. The best thing about the scene (or worst) was the fact that Naruto (for the most part) looked completely unharmed. There were a few scratches on his person, but people could assume it was from the fight before or the gusts of wind in the beginning of the battle. Naruto immediately grinned wider as he thought.

"_Wow, I didn't think the Minishimirukaze Kunai (Piercing Wind Kunai) would work so well! The seal is working perfectly! I didn't expect to use it so soon, but it's still amazing! I need to get her to do that again!"_

Naruto continued to smile, confident that Temari would get annoyed and swing again…

…and she did not disappoint.

Another Kamaitachi attack flew past and Naruto, once again seemed unharmed.

Temari thrust wave after wave of air, but she was getting very annoyed since she wasn't getting anywhere.

"How the hell are you blocking my attacks? My Kamaitachi should be powerful enough to level a section of forest!" Temari yelled. Naruto simply brought the mysterious kunai into view.

It was a kunai made from normal metal, but the blade was much flatter and sharper, stretching it to around 3 inches from side to side. The thing that stood out the most was a seal that spanned the width of the blade on both sides. The seal was glowing yellow and was fading as Naruto smiled. He was smiling so much; it was starting to give many spectators the creeps. Hinata in particular only giggled, since he got this way whenever a new technique works perfectly.

"What the hell is that?" Temari asked angrily. Naruto relaxed his smile (much to the relief of many spectators) and started to explain.

"Well, I'm not going to tell you everything, but the name of the kunai might give you an idea. This," Naruto said, holding up the kunai, "is the Minishimirukaze Kunai. It's pretty self explanatory after that."

"_Piercing Wind Kunai; what does he mean? Does that tiny thing have the ability to block my Kamaitachi?"_

Naruto's face turned from happy to serious in less than a second as he charged forward, slowly but steadily. Temari swung her fan, causing a gust, but Naruto brought the kunai in front of him and sliced the wind she made, dispelling it. The seal glowed as he did so. Temari was barely able to jump back as Naruto slashed the air in front of her. Temari mysteriously got a diagonal slash on her shoulder as a medium-sized gust of air came forth. Naruto smirked.

"I think you get how I did it, right?" Naruto asked.

"Damn; how did you get a wind seal into a kunai that small?" Temari asked in shock.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto asked slyly in response as he charged forward. Temari was forced to use her fan as a shield as Naruto sent waves of wind towards it. Temari tried to bolt away from Naruto's onslaught and she was able to, but her fan was too heavy to maneuver with and she was hit with an extremely painful wave of wind.

Temari was blown away from her fan and she stood unsteadily as Naruto clutched his kunai, panting. Naruto stood next to her fan mockingly as Temari glared daggers at the boy.

Temari scowled before reaching into her pouch again. She brought out two little rods and held one in each hand. Naruto looked puzzled as she opened the rods, revealing battle fans. Naruto got ready for battle as Temari charged forward.

Naruto stood steadily, still unable to move properly.

"_What the hell is wrong? Why can't I move that well? At best, I'm probably moving at about half my normal speed with my weights on! This is so infuriating!"_

Temari reached Naruto's body and began to swing the battle fans. Small gusts of bladed wind came from the fans and Naruto had to struggle to keep up with Temari's onslaught. Facing two weapons, Naruto was reminded of how he trained with Keiko in the sword arts.

"_How did she defend against me back then?"_

(Flashback)

Naruto was huffing as Keiko held her weapon steadily. Keiko had decided to use a good portion of her abilities against Naruto this time around and Naruto was (obviously) losing badly. To make things worse for Naruto's pride, she was using only one dull kunai. Naruto looked at her in shock as she held her ground.

He then stubbornly charged again, unleashing an onslaught of attacks Keiko as she calmly blocked each attack as it came towards her. She smiled as she blocked an overhead strike with her kunai. Keiko then ducked under the blade and swept her leg below Naruto, breaking his stance. Naruto fell to the ground and stayed there, having no energy to rise again. Keiko knelt down to Naruto's level and said one statement before walking inside.

"Your swords are not your only weapons. Your body can be your greatest asset in a battle. Remember that."

(End Flashback)

Naruto was rudely brought out of that specific flashback by an unusually fierce gale from Temari's two battle fans. Unable to charge any chakra into the kunai, Naruto was blown away.

Temari yawned and looked at Naruto mockingly.

"This is getting boring. Do something interesting, will you?"

Looking back to that specific moment, Naruto remembered how calm Keiko was as she blocked his ferocious attacks. Deciding to do the same, Naruto took a deep breath as he thought back.

"_Calm down, Naruto. You can't focus on your target if you're too panicked to think."_

Naruto closed his eyes as he heard sounds of annoyance coming from across the arena. As he tried to calm down, Temari spoke.

"Oh, come on; don't tell me you have a weird habit like deer boy."

Naruto stayed still, feeling his heart rate slow and his breaths growing calmer. As he did this, he felt that he was becoming aware of his surroundings. He could hear the blowing of the natural winds. He could hear the crowd's chatter. He could hear…

…Chôji eating potato chips in the stands. Naruto chuckled.

Finally, he could hear…

…rushed footsteps, growing louder every second.

Naruto widened his eyes and smirked as he looked in front of him. He saw Temari's battle fan going for an overhead strike. Blocking it with his kunai, Naruto thought.

"_Well, doesn't this scene feel familiar?" _

Sweeping his foot under Temari, Naruto disrupted her footing as she became unstable. Naruto decided to add something to what Keiko did to him. Channeling chakra into his kunai, Naruto unleashed a gust of wind which blew Temari a few feet away. Taking the opportunity, Naruto made some clones and had them charge forward.

Temari stood as she saw a horde of orange people coming towards her. Clutching both her fans, she spun her body around and channeled chakra into the fans, creating a small whirlwind, blowing the clones away and making them vanish. Temari stopped spinning to see that another Naruto was swinging the kunai towards her. Dizzy and temporarily uncoordinated, she took the gust in the back.

She unsteadily regained her footing a few feet away. She started to face Naruto with eyes full of anger and hatred. She was thinking, _"How the hell can he match me in my own element? I'll show what the power of wind is truly capable of."_

It was then when she noticed that she was standing right next to her large fan. In rage, she grabbed her fan opened it and forced a large amount of chakra into the fan, making…

…a Naruto fly across the arena and vanish on impact with the ground?

Naruto smirked as Temari looked shocked at the discovery. Looking around, she saw that her fan was on the other side of the arena, behind Naruto. Deciding to end this annoying battle, she started to run towards Naruto, drawing her two fans. Naruto copied her action and started to run as fast as he could in his weights while drawing his wind kunai.

Rushing to the center and clashing their weapons, they held a relatively small conversation.

"Okay, this is getting really boring," Temari said as she trapped Naruto's kunai between her two fans.

"I know; we should really do something else," Naruto said in response.

"What do you suggest?" Temari asked.

"I say we keep fighting," Naruto said.

"I have a better idea," Temari said, "Why don't you just let me win?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"Not a chance," he said.

Naruto slashed upward with the kunai with extreme force, slicing through the centers of Temari's two fans and giving her a shallow wound in the neck. She groaned as she fell to the ground. Naruto looked over her and then looked to Genma. She looked slightly ill as she struggled to attempt to stand.

"_Oh shit, that soldier pill's side effects are kicking in. I can't fight any more."_

Temari raised her hand and turned to the Examiner.

"I'm giving up. My soldier pill is giving me a hard time."

Genma smiled as he declared Naruto the winner. Temari then stood unsteadily and picked up her fan. The medic team came to take her away moments later. Naruto put away his kunai and thought.

"_Wow, the wind seal actually works! I can't wait to put this on one of my swords! Now, I have to make a lightning one…"_

Naruto thought about the dynamics of the seal as he walked up the stairs to the stands instead of the participants' box. He was sick of standing and the box didn't exactly have seats. Naruto also thought about one other thing.

"_Whose bright idea was it to make these stairs so damn long? I mean, seriously, it's like they're trying to torture the participants or something."_

By the time he got up to the stands, he looked down onto the field and saw a big swirl of leaves. Two figures standing back to back appeared within the vortex as the leaves settled. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but Naruto knew it was some sort of lateness excuse from Kakashi.

Walking down to where Chôji was sitting with Sakura and Ino, Naruto immediately made his presence known.

"DAMMIT KAKASHI-SENSEI; YOU'RE LATE! I HAVE HALF A MIND TO GO DOWN THERE AND KICK YOUR ASS RIGHT NOW!"

Sakura tried to hit Naruto up the head and he dodged it easily. Naruto then saw Sasuke's lips move. Naruto read his lips and got one word.

"Idiot," he said.

"SHUT UP, SASUKE; YOU'RE JUST AS BAD AS KAKASHI-SENSEI! YOU BETTER WIN YOUR MATCH SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS LATER!" Naruto yelled in indignation.

Sakura then got Naruto this time and bashed his head into the stairs. Calming down slightly, Naruto spoke.

"Hey, Sakura-san, why did you do that?" Naruto asked as he saw Sakura and Ino rubbing their ears. Naruto then laughed when he saw earplugs in Chôji's ears.

"You idiot; you are so lucky I can hear right now. You were shouting at about 180 Decibels, moron!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head as Lee arrived beside him.

"Oh, hello Lee-san, I see you're doing better."

"Oh, hello, Naruto-kun, how have you been?" Lee asked. Naruto could detect a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"_Is he upset about something?"_

"I've been fine," Naruto said, "I mean; I was able to beat Neji!"

Naruto saw Lee's expression flicker slightly. Naruto inwardly smacked himself.

"_Oh shit, now I've gone and made him jealous. I've directly defeated Neji and I've indirectly defeated the other members of his team, including him. I mean, Neji was an opponent that Lee wished to defeat and Temari was the opponent that Tenten couldn't defeat! Damn, how am I going to fix this?"_

"Hey, Lee-san, I'm sure you'll be able to beat Neji with a bit of hard work. I mean, look at me. I'm dead last in my class and I kicked the top rank of your class. Since you're not dead last, it should be slightly easier for you, huh?"

Lee smiled as Naruto smirked. Gai behind him was about to shout his praises to Naruto when a puff of smoke interrupted him from behind.

"Now, now, Gai, I'm sure the hearing ability of the people around us has been damaged enough."

Naruto instantly got angry at Kakashi and walked over to yell at him.

"ARGH; Kakashi-sensei, I hope you have a good reason this time or else I'll kick your ass so hard…"

"Relax, Naruto; I have a good reason."

"Okay then; tell me!"

"Whatever are you talking about, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, closing his visible eye into an upside-down "U".

"Well, what good is a good reason if you don't use it to prevent a pissed off student from sending you flying across this arena?" Naruto asked deceptively calmly.

Kakashi got slightly nervous by Naruto's presence and immediately changed the subject.

"Heh, heh; Gai, how are you?"

Gai then opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Naruto.

"Don't change the subject! Why are you late?" Naruto yelled indignantly.

"Be quiet, Naruto. Some people here are trying to watch the match," Kakashi said before turning his attention to Gai and Lee.

"So, Lee-kun, how's your body?"

Gai turned and held a slightly grim expression.

"Kakashi…"

Sakura noticed that Kakashi had appeared earlier, but she didn't have any opportunity to speak between Naruto's screaming and Kakashi's nervousness.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

Kakashi turned to Sakura and began to speak.

"Oh, sorry, sorry; you must've been worried. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you about this."

Meanwhile, behind Kakashi…

"You bet we were worried! Now, tell me why you were late before I impale you with one of my kunai!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura looked down onto the field and noticed that the curse mark wasn't visible where she was sitting.

"Kakashi-sensei…there was a bruise on Sasuke-kun, am I right?"

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi said, making Sakura's head jolt up. Sakura smiled with relief and went back to looking at Sasuke.

"_Thank goodness. I don't know what Kakashi-sensei did, but Sasuke-kun looks fine. Now, I can concentrate on cheering for him."_

Kakashi then looked around the arena, as if searching for something. Naruto went a little closer so he'll be able to hear what he was saying.

"Gai," Kakashi said in a whisper, "there are only 3 ANBU squads here. Are you sure it's enough?"

"Not really, since Hayate gave us the idea of what would happen, the Hokage placed more ANBU forces near the attack points. We still don't know how they'll start the attacks," Gai responded in the same volume.

"I see; we'll have to stay on guard, won't we?"

"Yes, but we still have to at least look like we're watching the match."

Gai increased the volume of his voice so the others could hear.

"I'll be evaluating how you've been training Sasuke, Kakashi. Since you're my eternal rival, it is my duty."

Kakashi was currently looking down onto the field and turned to Gai.

"Hmm, did you say something?"

Gai screamed out loud and said something like, "Kakashi, curse you and your hip replies!" but no one was listening. Even Naruto had calmed down and walked off to where Kiba and Hinata were sitting. He was currently sitting next to Hinata's row and watching the fight.

"_Sasuke…don't die," _Naruto thought.

"Naruto," a voice called. Naruto looked towards the voice and saw Kiba and a shy Hinata attempting to fade into the background…and failing.

Naruto said a short greeting and Kiba started to speak.

"Yeah, hi; I wanted to ask you something." Kiba said a little too quickly.

"What?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing; I just wanted to know where you got that awesome kunai!" Kiba said enthusiastically.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, trying to feign ignorance.

"You know what I'm talking about! The kunai you used to beat that Sand girl!"

"I don't know what you mean." Naruto said calmly.

Kiba grunted and looked back down into the arena where Sasuke and Gaara were about to fight. "You know; forget it! I'll ask you later. I have a match to watch!"

Naruto smiled at Hinata and then looked down to the field. He was interested as much as everyone else, if not, more so.

(POV change; in the arena)

"Begin!" Genma shouted as he jumped back.

Gaara's sand gourd opened and a cloud of sand formed over his head. Gaara chuckled evilly as Sasuke jumped back.

"_This must be the sand Kakashi-sensei was talking about. Impressive," _Sasuke thought.

Suddenly, Gaara seemed to get a headache or something. He began to mutter something.

"Don't get angry, Mother. The blood I gave you earlier was foul. Don't worry, this time, it'll taste better."

"_What is he talking about?"_

Gaara then looked as if he was shocked by something and the sand above his head fell to the ground. Releasing his head, he spoke in his usual monotonous voice.

"Come forth."

Sasuke stared for a moment and drew a couple of shuriken. He threw them at Gaara only to be caught by Gaara's sand. The sand then morphed into Gaara's figure and held the shuriken. The clone then seemed to explode as a stream of sand gushed from it, making Sasuke jump into the air. The clone, still standing, threw Sasuke's shuriken back at him as Sasuke blocked them with two more. Sasuke then kicked the arms of the clone and then hit the neck of it with his right arm. The clone didn't vanish, but the clone seemed to try and absorb the arm. Sasuke punched the face of the clone, making it dissipate. Sasuke charged forward, determined to punch the real Gaara square in the face.

Gaara instantly raised the sand shield in front of him.

Sasuke smirked as he disappeared before Gaara's eyes.

Gaara looked slightly shocked as he thought.

"_His movements are just like…"_

Gaara was rudely thrown out of his thoughts via a fist to the face. Gaara was sent flying 10 feet away and he stayed sitting on the ground as Sasuke took a familiar stance. He looked smugly into Gaara's eyes and spoke.

"Come forth."

Gaara didn't move. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and spoke again.

"Come."

Gaara stayed put. Sasuke dropped the smug smile on his face and spoke one more time.

"If you're not coming to me, I'll come to you!"

Sasuke ran forward as Gaara raised the shield again. Running around it, Sasuke circled Gaara until he found an opening and kicked through it. Gaara was sent flying again, the sand going with him. Sasuke spoke as he stood where Gaara once was.

"What's wrong? Is that all you have? I'll tear down that armor of sand and destroy you!"

Sasuke rushed forward again and ran in a circle around Gaara while the sand around Gaara rose waist high, prepared to block an attack. Sasuke removed that factor by simply ducking under the ring of sand and kicking him in the face. He then grabbed the cloth on this shirt and pulled, bringing his knee to Gaara's face. Sasuke then continued to beat him up for a bit and finally threw him over his shoulder about 15 feet away.

(Up in the stands)

"What kind of training did you make him do?" a voice asked.

Naruto looked over to where Gai was standing with Kakashi and listened. It was only one row over so he didn't have to try that hard.

"How can he be that fast in just a month?" Gai asked.

"Sasuke," Kakashi started, "has already copied Lee's fighting style with his Sharingan. So, during his training, I had him recall Lee's movements. Sasuke knew Lee-kun, and therefore; was able to copy him. He did go through a lot of trouble, though," Kakashi said.

Gai and Lee kept silent as Naruto thought.

"_Geez, is Kakashi-sensei stupid or something? He knows that Lee had his ass handed to him by Gaara last time. Why did he just teach him taijutsu? Also, how could get that fast in so little time?I mean, I bet that Lee had to train forever to get those skills and he only got them in a month! I wonder what'll happen if he gets his hands on my techniques…" _Naruto thought as he narrowed his eyes.

(On the field)

Sasuke gasped as he saw the sand rise to form a sphere around Gaara. Sasuke charged forward, determined to strike Gaara before the sand closed up. The sphere began to compress around Gaara and the sand surrounded him. Sasuke struck just as the orb closed.

Sasuke was then seen punching the orb in the center of the field. Trickles of blood came from his cheek and the hand that hit the orb. The orb had a few sand spikes coming from it, impaling Sasuke slightly on various parts of his body. Sasuke jumped back as the spikes went back into the orb.

"_What the hell; I never would've guessed that merely compressing sand would make it that hard. This must be what people call an absolute defense."_

An eye of sand appeared near the orb.

Sasuke wiped the blood from his cheek. He then scowled before unleashing an onslaught of attacks on the orb. He first charged forward and tried to impact the orb with his forearm. The spikes that appeared on the orb scratched his leg and shoulder as he hit the orb. Jumping back, he dodged another set of spikes coming from the orb. Sasuke then kicked the top of the orb, making spikes raise from that point after Sasuke jumped off of it.

Landing, he began to think.

"_It's not working. I'm going to have to do something different."_

Sasuke then noticed a weak spot where the sands converged. He raised his hands up to his face and thought of something.

"_I have an idea. He's rooted to that spot by his own sand. I don't know what he's doing, but it's good for me. This new technique of mine takes time."_

Focusing his chakra to his legs, Sasuke back-flipped up unto the wall of the arena performing three seals, he thrust his right hand downward while holding onto the wrist with the left.

Ushi, U, Saru (Ox, Hare, Monkey)

A blue flash came from underneath him.

(In the Stands)

Naruto started to hear voices again as he listened in. Like last time, it seemed that the audience was too awestruck to care about their surroundings so it was basically silent in the stands except for a distinct sound that sounded like birds.

"Is that…" Gai said, trailing off.

"I supervised Sasuke's training because he's a lot like me."

Naruto then saw Sasuke move his right arm to the side, creating an arc with his hand. He then started to run down the wall, creating a line of destruction in his wake. Naruto then listened to Gai and Kakashi's conversation while keeping his eyes on Sasuke and Gaara.

"So, you taught him body activation. That's why you made him master taijutsu moves to increase his speed."

"That's right," Kakashi said in response. Naruto then heard another voice join the fray.

"Amazing; I can see the chakra easily with only my eyes. How is he doing it?" a voice that Naruto identified as Sakura's asked.

Naruto began to think.

"_Wow, that's a pretty good kick-ass move. I wonder where he got it from."_

Naruto watched as the line of destruction from the wall spread to the ground as Sasuke ran forward, towards Gaara's orb. Naruto heard Sakura's voice again. This time it was a little louder.

"That technique is really noisy. What is it?"

"It's just a straight thrust. But, it's also the Copy Ninja's only original move."

Naruto looked over at Gai at that point.

"It's an assassination move and its power lies in the speed of the thrust. Also, it relies on body activation so the move can use a lot of chakra. The chakra is then concentrated in the arm and, because of the incredible speed, it emits a sound which is like the chirping of a thousand birds."

Naruto looked down to the field as he continued to listen to Gai. Sasuke was moving closer and closer to Gaara's orb and he was rapidly dodging the spikes as Gai spoke.

"That is why the move is called…"

Sasuke pierced the shell and jammed his hand deep into the orb.

"…Chidori (Thousand Birds)."

The audience looked in shock at the power of the technique. The people who knew Gaara were shocked out of their gourd and those who knew where the technique came from were smirking and thinking, _"This Gaara guy's toast. That's what you expect from an Uchiha." _

Those who knew either Kakashi or Sasuke personally had their own personal thoughts. Gai only looked somewhat happy.

"That was the Chidori in action. It's also called the Raikiri (Lightning Edge)."

"Lightning Edge; what do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"That is an alias it took when Kakashi said that he once cut a lightning bolt in half with the technique. The secret lies in the human's fastest attainable speed, the speed of the thrust and the chakra accumulated in one arm. The arm then turns into a sword that could cut just about anything."

Turning to Kakashi, Gai spoke again.

"You've taught him a reckless move, though."

"I don't want to hear that from you," Kakashi said, narrowing his eye.

(Back on the field)

Sasuke still had his hand inside the orb. Now, he was hearing a voice from inside it.

"What is this warm stuff? It's…it's…my blood! MY BLOOD!"

Everyone in the stadium heard that. Sasuke suddenly felt something grab his arm. Sasuke immediately tried to pull it out, but was failing. As a last resort, he began to scream as his hand became charged with the Chidori attack. Sasuke was able to pull his arm out, with difficulty, but something came out with it.

It was an arm made completely of sand.

The arm receded into the hole created by the Chidori and Sasuke peered inside from a distance. He saw an eye, but he knew it wasn't human.

Sasuke was shocked as the orb cracked from the hole that was created, revealing an injured Gaara. Gaara's sand was turned into a large pool as Gaara stood, clutching his wound.

(Up in the Stands)

"_What the heck is this?" _Naruto thought as he saw feathers rain from the sky. Kiba was knocked out, and Hinata was slowly getting drowsy. Naruto himself was feeling the effects of the technique. Knowing the feel of a genjutsu, Naruto dispelled it easily. He then turned to Hinata and woke her up as well after shoving Kiba out of the way. Pulling her down, Naruto began to speak.

"Hinata-chan, I think I know what's going on. Sound village and Sand village are now attacking us. We have to stay down for a bit as things get messy."

Hinata, too scared to blush at the moment settled for a small nod and stayed down like Naruto was.

Naruto heard a large boom and looked up quickly to see that it originated in the area where the Hokage was sitting. Naruto could only watch as the Kazekage took the Hokage and held a kunai to his throat, retraining his movement. He then saw four figures surround the area they were in and he saw a purple shield thing come up. Naruto jumped out his seat to try and help the "Old Man" but he stopped as soon as he saw an ANBU being fried by the shield.

Unfortunately, this drew the attention of one of the Sand ninja as he rushed towards him. Naruto was beginning to draw his wind kunai, but a shadow headed the Sand ninja off, throwing him to the side. Kakashi was there.

"Hey, Naruto; stay there for a bit, will you?" Kakashi asked with what he could assume was a smile.

(In the arena)

Sasuke watched as a purple field appeared over where the Hokage's box was. Gaara's team came down to take Gaara away and he heard a conversation.

"What are you three doing here? The mission has started!" Gaara's sensei, Baki, said.

"Gaara is injured and he's almost out of chakra. He's in no condition to fight!" Temari said.

"Then take him to a safe location and heal his wounds. Continue the mission after that!" Baki said.

Kankurô nodded and scooped Gaara up, supporting him. Temari and Kankurô then jumped over the stadium wall, disappearing over it. Baki faced Sasuke for a moment and smirked.

Then, Genma appeared in between Sasuke and Baki and spoke.

"I'll take care of this guy. Follow Gaara and fight him. Make sure he's not able to fight. He's Sand village's trump card. Be careful, though; it's different now. It's not an exam."

"It's exactly the same," Sasuke said as he jumped off.

(In the stands)

Drawing his kunai, Naruto blocked off any straying attack heading towards him or anyone around him. Around him, Naruto saw Kakashi and Gai killing many of the ninja with powerful attacks or fatal kunai strikes. Many other ninja were using fire attacks and projectiles to ward off attacks or to attack the enemy. Landing next to Sakura, who was also awake, Kakashi spoke.

"Sakura, this is sudden, but I have a mission for you. Go about one row over and find Naruto and Hinata, who are awake. This is an A-class mission."

"Don't bother looking for us," Naruto said as he blocked a kunai, "we're already here."

Hinata was next to him, blocking attacks and using Jûken strikes on her foes.

"Okay, good; the leader will be Naruto. Sasuke left and followed Gaara. The four of you will follow Sasuke and help him if need be. I'm not sure, but the other jônin may assign their respective genin to help you. Stay alert."

"There are only three of us. What are you talking about?" Naruto asked as he blocked a set of kunai.

"I'll tell you in a moment," Kakashi said while cutting his finger with a kunai and performing five seals.

Naruto smirked as a puff of smoke appeared below Kakashi. A small dog appeared.

"Is that little doggy coming with us?" Sakura asked.

The dog jumped up to Sakura and spoke. "Don't call me a little doggy."

"Yes," Kakashi said, "Pakkun will help you track down Sasuke by scent. Now, go!"

Naruto, Hinata, Pakkun and Sakura went out swiftly. Naruto was about to get hit from behind when Gai appeared out of nowhere and blasted him through the wall. The four nodded to Kakashi and left through the hole.

Landing on the ground, a voice stopped them. Naruto turned to see the three figures from earlier.

"Excuse me," the blonde figure said, "can you tell me where the seats are? We're a little lost."

Naruto was about to answer when a large amount of kunai came from nowhere.

Unable to prepare himself, Naruto ran in front of the blonde girl and braced himself for the impact. He closed his eyes, waiting for the distinct feeling of being hit by bladed objects. Focusing on his sense of hearing, Naruto listened to his surroundings.

He heard a set of rushed footsteps, the distinct sound of a blade being unsheathed, and a single word.

"GUARDIAN!"

(End Chapter)

A/N: I hope I did better this time. I was really rushed as I posted this chapter last time that I just forgot to add some important elements. I hope you liked this version better than what I wrote before I replaced this chapter. By the way, if you want to review to me and you already reviewed for this chapter, I advise that you PM me; not that I'm saying you have to. Thanks for not flaming me for my last lousy job of a chapter. 'Til next time!

Revision Notice: Thank you **Era-chan **for pointing out my error earlier in this chapter. The AutoCorrect feature is useful, but it sometimes replaces Naruto with Narrator. Thanks for your input!


	22. Chapter 21: Indignation

A/N: Here's a new chapter. If you read my last chapter before about 7:45 PM Pacific Time on August 21, 2006, you may want to read it again. I reposted it and tried to make it better. I hope you like this chapter too.

Here are the review responses.

**TheMadHatter577: **Thanks.

**Midnight-angel-of-darkness: **I will.

**VFSNAKE: **Maybe Naruto will call on Kyûbi's power, but a few people will help him in this battle, especially when Gaara goes into full Shukaku mode.

**VenomLord: **I really should have changed that. I know that Naruto seems like he's thinking, _"Who gives a shit when someone else's techniques are taken? I just don't want anyone stealing my techniques!" _ I'll work on that and try to do something more reactive in the future.

**BioDragon: **Thank you

**Light of the Demons: **Yeah, you were right. You were actually one of the few people that actually did.

**Divinechaosdragoon: **Well, he's going to be more tired than he was in canon. As for Genis, Colette, and Lloyd; you're going to have to wait and find out.

**SilverWarrior: **You'll find out.

**Chibi-Chipmunk on Crack: **Thanks; I'm glad you reviewed anyway.

**Clone Daniel: **I'm glad you did! I spent a little while creating that idea.

**Arganaut: **I don't think I will. I mean, it would make it creative, but I like Naruto as a genin before the three year jump.

**Korigo starless: **I'll try. I'm not really good at detailed fights.

**Locker87: **Thanks for the comment. It will be a little different than the series since I'm adding a few out of series characters.

**Hybrid thing: **I hope you like the chapter, then.

**Trenchcoatgirl-Kyo: **I'm glad you liked the chapter. The Naruto vs. Temari fight actually may be a bit more important than you think.

**NewSon: **I'm not insulting them. They're pretty good, if a bit of an eyesore. I do agree with your pairing suggestions, but I haven't decided which one to do. I'll do that thing you said about not making Sasuke a total prick. You've been a great help!

**Nara Shikaku: **Now, now, don't do that or I'll have Naruto sic you, too.

**Chidori vs Rasengan-BetaRd-: **No, they're not. They're out of series characters in Naruto's world.

**Anime-Boy07: **Thanks.

**ShadowBack: **You'll see what happens. I hope you like it.

**Shadowkeeper113: **Look at the end of "Chapter 20: "Chapter 19: Fate"".

**Dragon Man 180: **Wind and Lightning combined is one heck of a combination. Think about it; you get sliced and shocked and then sliced and blown away. It's so awesome!

**Tellemicus Sundance: **Wow, your story, "The Weak Link" is one heck of a Code Lyoko story. I understand what you said, but I was still blown away by how great it was. Nice work! I mean, you had me hooked until the end of "The Soul of a Warrior". Thanks for the great advice, though.

**SagazLegend: **Yeah, I plan on making Naruto use Hiraishin no Jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique), but I plan on letting him learn it after the time skip. I hope you realize that. Also, Naruto may or may not be able to use it a certain times.

**Harteramo: **Well, I hope you like this chapter, too.

**Kitsu Maharu: **………Well, that was interesting. I'm glad Guu Gagu Lolo the 6th of the Kotaro Kohei Tsuki no Tsubasa Tribe liked it! I'd give you some more to give to it, but it might spoil the good little cow. And, as an answer to your question; yes, I would like some green tea. I like green tea.

**Conan98002: **Ronin Warrior blades? I've never heard of that before.

**The Cow you chew: **Don't let **Kitsu Maharu **see your user name.

**Sledmoose: **Thanks for the comment. The mask will come back soon, I promise. I'll explain a little in a future chapter because after Naruto and Jiraiya go to get Tsunade to be the next Hokage, there'll be a new mission that Teams 7, 8, and maybe 10 will go on.

**Saiyaku no NekoKitsune: **No, it's Yoko. "Yo"in Yoko can be written with the Kanji for mystic. "Ko" can be written with the Kanji for fox. The Kanji for "Ko" can also be pronounced "Kitsune" alone, but with the Kanji for Mystic in front of it, it sounds like Yoko. Yokai is the word for demon, not demon fox. If you don't believe me, watch the Japanese version of the first episode when Mizuki says that Naruto is the Kyûbi or the 77th episode when Naruto has a flashback of that day during the Naruto vs. Gaara fight. He says, "Kyûbi no Yoko."Thanks for trying to clear that up, though.

**Biggestboss: **It'll get better. You'll see. It's okay if you don't review. I just like your input nonetheless.

**Rasendori: **It's a little late to be suggesting that, huh? Anyway, I'm sorry for the honorific misunderstanding.

**ShadowNeji: **Sure.

**X-275 Strike Fisha: **I'll try. I'm been a little lax on the actual progression since I'm a little busy. (See A/N at end of chapter.)

**00asianwriter00: **I will when I have the time.

**Xpotter: **I'll do what I can.

**Era-chan: **I'll squeeze in the funny when I can. I'll put in the funny when it's appropriate, not when it's too serious for some idiot to come out and say, "Look at me, I'm an idiot trying to make the funny and screw up the entire tone of the scene right now!" I'm sorry, but the Naruto vs. Gaara fight isn't in this chapter. I'll get to it on the next one, most likely.

Now, here's the 22nd installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate".

Disclaimer: Okay, all of my animal friends are either taking a nap or playing outside right now so I guess I'm doing the disclaimer myself. I do not own Naruto or Tales of Symphonia (Hint Hint). Thank you.

(Chapter Begin)

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and looked forward to see what became of the rain of kunai that was headed toward him. What he saw was the red figure holding a sword and standing within a fading green orb. He turned around to look at Naruto and he began to speak. Naruto looked around the figure and saw something as the red figure spoke.

"Whew, that was close. Hi, my name is…"

Naruto saw the ninja that threw the kunai jumping down from the tree and running towards the red figure. A feminine voice from behind him yelled before Naruto did.

"Lloyd!"

Looking at the blonde, he continued.

"Well, yeah, that's my name."

The ninja threw another horde of kunai. Pushing Lloyd out of the way and drawing his Wind kunai, he blasted them back to the thrower, pinning him to a tree behind him. Grabbing the red figure and starting to run away with Sakura and Hinata, he shouted one thing to the rest of them.

"Introductions later; run now!"

Naruto released Lloyd's hand and continued to run on the ground, in consideration of the other group. Naruto looked back to see a strange sight.

Lloyd was carrying the small blue figure on his back and the blonde was close behind. The weird thing about them was the fact the Lloyd and the blonde were flying on multicolored wings. The blonde's were pink and purple and Lloyd's were blue. The two didn't seem to have any trouble keeping up since they were gaining on Naruto relatively quickly. Naruto jumped to the trees, thinking they could fly through the branches. Naruto formed a sweat drop on the back of his head as the three followed them closely. They were even having a conversation.

"Seriously, I don't see why we have to do this," the blue figure said on Lloyd's back.

"Shut up, Genis, you know that this is the only way we'll keep up with these guys. They're pretty fast!" Lloyd said in response.

"Yeah, I know, but are you sure we can trust them? I mean, their village is about as mysterious as Sheena's!" Genis said on Lloyd's back.

"I know that, but I think they can be trusted. I mean, did you see what Orange Boy tried to do for Colette?"

Naruto got annoyed at that point and decided to step in.

"The name's Uzumaki Naruto, not "Orange Boy"!" Naruto said in slight annoyance.

"Oh, sorry," Lloyd said with a large grin. "The first thing I noticed about you was the color of your clothes, so…"

"You're such a moron, Lloyd."

"Shut it, Genis!"

Naruto formed a sweat drop as he noticed that he did that when he first saw them. Naruto then looked around to see that Colette was talking to Hinata and Sakura about who knows what. Turning his attention to the little dog in front of the group, he asked a question.

"Hey, Pakkun, was it? Do you have Sasuke's scent yet?"

"Of course I do! Just keep following me and you'll get there!" the little dog said smugly.

Pakkun continued to guide them as Naruto started to speak to Lloyd again. Unfortunately, he was interrupted by a loud squeal. Naruto saw Lloyd and Genis roll their eyes as he saw a white and blonde blur pass in front of him and scoop up Pakkun.

"Hey, what do you think you're…?"

"It's so cute! What's his name?" Colette asked Naruto as she snuggled Pakkun in her arms. Pakkun only seemed a little annoyed.

"It's…Pakkun, but…I think you should let him go," Naruto said as Colette continued to snuggle with the annoyed puppy. It was about a minute later when Pakkun's nose twitched and he finally spoke up.

"As much as I like being squished, we need to get a move on, there's 8, no, 9 people tailing us."

Shocked looks were circulated all around and Colette dropped Pakkun onto the nearest branch.

Everybody started to move faster than before as Pakkun continued to speak.

"They haven't found our exact location, but they're tracking us really well and we have to try and lose them."

Naruto started thinking as Sakura watched carefully. Naruto narrowed his eyes and began to speak.

"I guess we have no choice. Follow me," Naruto said as he zipped to the left. Everybody had to halt and turn to follow Naruto and Pakkun was shouting at him.

"Where are you going? Sasuke's scent trail is that way!"

"I know that," Naruto said, "I just have a way to lose the guys that are following us. Be patient!"

Naruto then went to the ground and stopped. Naruto looked around and Sakura tried to follow his line of sight. Hinata looked slightly confused.

"_Why do I feel like I've been here before?" _Hinata thought.

"_What's he looking at? A crack on a tree, an anthill, a yellow leaf; what does this have to do with anything? Also, I can't put my finger on it, but I feel some chakra here," _Sakura thought.

"Okay, we're here."

Everyone looked confused as Naruto walked towards the three items. Forming a seal, he tapped all three of them and the ninja were amazed. Hinata in particular widened her eyes in realization and amazement.

"_That triple layered genjutsu wasn't there before!_

The clearing didn't look any different, but there was a backpack full of scrolls in the center of the clearing. Taking the backpack, Naruto put it on. Noticing everyone's questioning looks, he spoke.

"If you didn't notice already, I did more than deactivate a genjutsu when I tapped those three things. The three points that I tapped were actually the triggers for my invention. The Tri-Point Destroyer is actually designed to protect what I keep here by setting off a series of traps. Usually, the traps would detonate when someone tried to deactivate a genjutsu without hitting the triggers. Now, they'll detonate when I give a distinct chakra signature. We can get those guys off our tails if we get them to pass through this point. The problem is; we have to leave someone here to do so. We probably won't see them again, though," Naruto said sullenly. The others looked in shock to what Naruto just said. Hinata was surprisingly first to speak.

"Why is that?" she asked.

Naruto sighed and looked up before answering.

"I'm a little defensive about my techniques and original weapons. The traps here are set to destroy anything within a 3 mile radius. Even the ones who don't stay behind will be in danger."

There was a short silence as Naruto adjusted the pack. He was about to speak again when a voice interrupted him.

"That's outrageous! You can't possibly have enough explosives to destroy over 27 square miles!" Sakura yelled as she went up to Naruto.

"I can and I do. The possibilities of a combination of explosive tags and certain flammable minerals are endless."

Lloyd stepped forward and started to speak. Genis hopped off of his back and Lloyd retracted his wings. Colette stayed floating in the air, but she looked resolute as she drew her two chakrams. Genis only pulled out a kendama.

"_What are they doing?" _Naruto thought.

"Turn them off. We'll take care of whoever's following you," Lloyd said.

Naruto only looked at them in shock.

"Are you serious? You can't possibly take all nine of them alone!"

"We can and we will. Now, turn them off and go!" Lloyd said as he drew his blades.

"Are you mad? A genjutsu canceling will set off my trap, but so would a chakra burst large enough to shatter my illusion! You can't possibly fight here!" Naruto yelled as he walked towards the trio.

Genis smiled brightly and spoke softly to Naruto. "That's a relief, then. I mean, we can't possibly set this off since we use mana, not chakra."

"What's that?" Naruto asked, confused.

"_There's a force other than chakra? I'm not so sure they could fight with it, but I hope to God that they don't accidentally set them off," _Naruto thought

Genis opened his mouth to answer but a rustle in the trees interrupted him and Lloyd spoke.

"We'll tell you later. You have to go now!"

Naruto tapped the yellow leaf again and started to run off, not waiting for a response. Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata looked back and saw the three getting ready for battle. Naruto was able to hear a few words from Genis as he rushed towards Sasuke's location.

"I call upon thee in the land of the dead…"

(Meanwhile (A/N: There's going to be a lot of these.))

"To think I can finally fight you again…" Orochimaru said as he remained in the outfit of the Kazekage.

The Hokage only looked around as the four people rooting the barrier in place raised a barrier around them to protect themselves. The Hokage then spoke.

"It seems I can't leave that easily, can I?"

"Now, why would you want to get others involved? It'll only be harder for you."

Orochimaru and the Hokage then ripped off the traditional Kage robes and had what is commonly known as a standoff. The tension rose as a massive chakra level was detected within the barrier. When they both rushed forward, they were both doing different sets of seals.

The Hokage threw a single shuriken and did a number of seals ending with the cross-shaped seal that was so familiar to the genin due to one certain blonde.

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)!"

The single shuriken duplicated into hundreds of shuriken and they were all headed towards Orochimaru. Orochimaru then stopped in his tracks and finished his set of seals by placing his hands together and slamming them into the ground.

"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Summoning: Impure World Resurrection)!"

"Hitotsu (One; counter for an inanimate item)!"

A coffin rose up with the symbol for "Sho (1)" on it.

"Futatsu (Two; counter for inanimate items)!"

Another coffin rose, this time, it had the symbol for "Ni (2)" on it.

The numerous shuriken that was called into existence by Sarutobi's Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu hit those two coffins and Sarutobi cursed under his breath.

"Mittsu (Three; counter for inanimate items)!

A coffin rose; this time, however, it had the symbol for "Yon (4)" on it. Sarutobi grew worried. Of the three of them, he needed to worry about this one the most.

The coffins' lids began to fall over. The first two coffins that had the symbols for "One" and "Two" held the bodies of the first and second Hokage. The third one didn't open, surprisingly.

The people, who were watching the battle, including Sarutobi himself, were shocked at who came out of the coffins. Even if he expected this, no amount of preparation could have softened this blow. The bodies stepped out and started to speak.

"It's been a long time, Saru," the First said.

"Is it really him? You've aged quite a bit, Sarutobi," the Second said.

"I never thought I'd see you again like this, Shodai-sama, Nidaime-sama," Sarutobi said.

"I see; the kid brought us back using Edo Tensei. I guess that means we'll have to fight you, Saru," Shodai said.

Sandaime prepared himself as Orochimaru walked forward, holding kunai with tags attached to them.

"Now, now, let's stop the chatter, Old Men. We should really get started."

As Orochimaru held up the kunai, Shodai spoke.

"I see there is war no matter what time period you're in."

"But, don't you like war?" Orochimaru asked.

"Orochimaru," Sandaime said, "you truly have no respect for the dead! Nothing good comes with trifling with time!"

Orochimaru only chuckled.

(Meanwhile)

"We need reinforcements!" a ninja shouted as he battled a giant snake.

"We can't hold out much longer!" another ninja yelled.

"Send the 3rd squadron towards its backside! Send the 5th squadron towards the left flank!" Ibiki yelled, sending troops to aid in the defeat of the giant summoned snakes.

Fireballs, projectiles, and many ninja went at the snake, but it just wouldn't fall. Ibiki prepared for death as the snake drew closer to him. As the snake lunged towards his position, he heard a voice.

"Ninpô: Kuchiyose: Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique)!"

Suddenly, a giant frog comes out of the sky and smashes the snake coming towards Ibiki. The snake spat up a lot of blood and collapsed.

Ibiki looked up and thought.

"_This can only belong to one person…"_

"Hey, Ibiki, it's been a while, hasn't it? Is your body the only thing that grew? I can't watch," a voice called.

"Jiraiya-sama," Ibiki said.

"Jiraiya-sama, do you mean the Jiraiya-sama from the Sannin?"

"Listen up, ladies! Open your eyes and stare in wonder! Behold…" Jiraiya said.

He then started doing a funky little dance which consisted of the old pervert hopping on one leg and finally stomping down with his other foot. Then, extending his right arm forward, he gave a perverted smile to the masses.

"…the divine ninja Jiraiya's Far East of Eden's Wild Dance!"

Then he spoke again as he looked towards the other two summoned snakes,

"Yes, you damn snakes; flee from the presence of a frog!"

Ibiki jumped up onto the frog and Jiraiya spoke to him.

"Where's the Third?"

"He's at the exam stadium."

Jiraiya only stayed silent as he looked towards the stadium and noticed the large purple field.

"_Don't die; Old Man."_

(Meanwhile)

"I call upon thee in the land of the dead to unleash thy fury of thunder…"

Genis was currently in the center of what appeared to be a purple magic circle as he muttered that statement as an incantation. Lloyd was patiently waiting for the enemy, swords drawn, and Colette was only smiling as she looked up to the trees.

Each of them looked as a set of leaves rustled. Being ready, Colette and Lloyd took up positions on both sides of Genis, determined to protect their spell-caster friend.

Suddenly, a rain of kunai came from opposite directions. Lloyd and Colette were quick to block them; Lloyd with his two swords and Colette with her two chakrams.

"Well, it seems you're good enough to block kunai, huh? Let's see how you fare against a team of ninja."

8 people jumped out of the trees and looked menacingly at the three. Colette, being herself, spoke first.

"Hi, what's your name?"

The ninja present immediately fell to the ground in exasperation. One of the ninja spoke to her as soon as they recovered.

"Look, we're trying to kill you. We're ninja, okay?"

"Yeah, Colette; I really don't think they came to have a friendly chat," Lloyd said.

"I know, but why can't we have one anyway?" Colette asked, causing everyone to forma sweat-drop on the backs of their heads.

An awkward silence rose as Colette retained her cheerfulness. The ninja present got fed up relatively quickly and broke the silence.

"Whatever, just kill them already so we can catch up to those other brats," one of the ninja said.

The ninja charged forward and Lloyd smirked.

"Do it now, Genis!"

"…Indignation!" he shouted as a large ring of lightning appeared on the ground around everyone in the clearing. Knowing it won't hurt them, Lloyd, Colette, and Genis just watched as the ninja held a collective, "What the hell is going on?" look. They had a small conversation amongst themselves.

"Hey, what's this technique?" one of the ninja asked.

"I don't know, but it doesn't really hurt right now," another one said.

"I don't sense any chakra so I guess it isn't a ninjutsu," the first ninja said.

"Are you stupid? I sense some chakra here, but it's not enough for a ninjutsu. This is probably a genjutsu, you idiot!" the second ninja shouted.

"Well, then turn it off!" the first ninja said.

Lloyd, Genis, and Colette heard this and started to talk to each other.

"Hey, guys; did you hear those guys say genjuice, or something like that?" Lloyd asked.

"It's genjutsu. Also, yes, I did. You don't think…?" Genis said, trailing off.

"…they're going to try and cancel one, right?" Colette said, finishing Genis' statement.

The three friends stood in thought for a moment, breaking the silence between them by shouting one thing.

"They're going to set off the traps!" They yelled in unison as one of the ninja formed his hands into a seal and yelled, "Kai (Release)!"

"Put up your defensive shield, now!" Lloyd shouted.

"GUARDIAN!" Lloyd shouted.

"DAMAGE GUARD!" Colette shouted.

"FORCE FIELD!" Genis shouted.

The three were surrounded in three green bubbles as the trap engaged, wrapping the area in scorching fire. Genis' spell activated, giving the devastating force a nice effect as fire from the explosion merged with one of the best lightning-based mana spells in existence…

…at least, it would've been cool looking if it wasn't the last thing the ninja there would see.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" was heard across the village and through the deepest part of the forest. Everyone turned to the direction of the explosion thinking one thing.

"_Man, am I glad that I wasn't over there."_

The problem was, along with that thought; they knew someone or something had bit the big one. Hoping that it wasn't a person they knew, everyone resumed their battles or evacuation procedures.

Back in the newly made Konoha Plains, three scorched, but alive figures and nine metal things lay on the ground. No other body was in sight.

"Man, that really hurt," Lloyd said, standing up and wiping the dust off his clothes.

"Yeah," Genis said, "My Explosion technique is nothing compared to that!"

"Ow," Colette said as she lay face down on the ground.

"Colette, are you okay?" Lloyd asked, worried as he picked her up.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said cheerfully as Lloyd smiled and released her.

"Seriously, he said he was only a little protective!" Genis said.

"Yeah, I thought he was exaggerating when he said that it would take down anything within a 3 mile radius," Colette said as she dusted herself off.

"Also, think about it," Genis said, "our shields reduce damage down to 20 percent. Think about what happened to those ninja."

"I think," Lloyd said as he picked up one of nine metal things scattered in the area, "they got vaporized."

"We should bring those to Naruto or whatever his name is," Genis said, "He might have a use for them."

"Yeah," Lloyd said, feeling a little better and sprouting his wings, "Let's go after him. He might think we're dead or something."

(Meanwhile)

Sticking the kunai within the heads of the two previous Hokage, the third coffin began to open.

"Excellent; you'll have a fun time fighting this one," Orochimaru said as the First and the Second looked more lively by the minute.

Pulling out another kunai with a tag, he approached the open coffin. The problem was the person inside. It wasn't exactly what Orochimaru had in mind.

"Why didn't it work? My technique is perfect!"

The Third smirked. He might have known this would happen. He knew that souls that enter the Death God's stomach will never return to this would though such an impure technique.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" the people present heard as Sarutobi looked towards a smoking part of the forest.

"_What's happening out there?" _he thought. Facing forward, he watched Orochimaru.

Orochimaru shrugged a moment later and returned to his position behind the two previous Hokage. At this point, the regeneration was complete and they were ready to fight. The Third spoke.

"You two look exactly like you were before…" he said while obtaining a sad expression. Orochimaru chuckled evilly and spoke.

"Do you know the satisfaction that you get when you hurt your teacher? I've now given you the opportunity to do so. I hope you experience that. Enjoy," Orochimaru said as he formed a seal, making the two previous Hokage walk forward to attack. They then broke into a run, the First staying level with Sarutobi and the Second running above him on the highest point of the roof.

The First then attacked with a small wave of kunai, which Sarutobi dodged. Next, the First tried to attack with a punch, but this was blocked and Sarutobi swept his leg under to allow him to throw the First. The Second then charged at Sarutobi from above and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks. Catching the last kick, Sarutobi swung him around and threw him towards where the First had landed. Both of them recovered in the air when thrown and they were now standing.

"Don't think I'm going to just defend here," Sarutobi said as he did some seals.

"Mi, Uma, Tatsu, Ne, Ushi, Tora; Katon: Karyû Endan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet)!"

Sarutobi took an extremely deep breath and blew out a steam of white-hot flames that wrapped around the two previous Hokage. Quickly reacting, the Second formed a few seals and released a technique that showed what exactly he was known for.

"Suiton: Suijin Heki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)!"

A large wave of water came out of nowhere and surrounded the two Hokage. The spectators looked on in awe and Sarutobi looked on in irritation. The next thing Sarutobi saw was the Second doing another set of seals.

"Suiton: Suiryûdan (Water Release: Water Dragon Blast)!"

A water dragon came out of nowhere just like the barrier of water and attempted to hit the Third. The Third was doing his own set of seals, though.

"Doton: Doryû Heki (Earth Release: Earth Style Wall)!"

Sarutobi spat out a stream of mud in front of his body and a giant wall came forth. Climbing up the wall, he dodged the flowing water below him that was created by the remains of the water dragon.

Looking down, Sarutobi saw that the Second was completing another set of seals. Suddenly, two water dragons come up to the top of the wall and crash into the area around Sarutobi, making him fall to the ground.

Looking down on the tile roof, he noticed something. The tile below him was cracking and a little sapling was growing quickly out of it. Jumping back, Sarutobi looked forward as he saw the First performing seals.

"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kôtan (Wood Release Secret Technique: Birth of Dense Woodland)!"

Branches and roots protruded from the tile roof and headed towards Sarutobi. As he ran, he bit his finger and performed 5 familiar seals. Not having the time to cast the technique due to the trees, he kept running, even as the branches cracked through his earthen barrier. Soon enough, the branches wrapped around his body, ensnaring him with sturdy tree branches.

Struggling to reach a surface to perform the technique on, he reached his hand towards the nearest tree branch that wasn't ensnaring him. As he did so, he heard Orochimaru speak.

"So, you've finally been caught, Sensei."

Sarutobi only groaned as he was able to lay his hand on a tree branch.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!

(With Naruto, about 4 miles away)

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" he heard as he stopped and looked back. Naruto was then met with a massive gust of wind coming from his clearing. Hinata, Sakura, and Pakkun all noticed a second after Naruto did and they inquired about it.

"No," he said.

"What's wrong, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked.

"They set it off. I can't believe they set it off," he responded.

"Why do you say that? The explosion couldn't have been that bad. You were just exaggerating when you said 'it will destroy anything within a 3 mile radius,' weren't you?" Sakura said.

"No, I wasn't," Naruto said, still in shock.

"You can't be serious, Naruto. There's no way you could…"

"If you don't believe me, go about a mile back and you'll see a large crater that stretches for about 6 miles!" Naruto yelled.

Sakura and Hinata stepped back slightly at Naruto's tone and listened.

"I can't believe I just killed three innocent souls…"

"_So, that's the problem," _Hinata thought.

Hinata moved to comfort Naruto when Sakura smirked. Looking back and seeing something, she interrupted.

"Well, if you killed them, I really hope those aren't their ghosts coming to haunt you. We have a mission to complete," she said jokingly while pointing behind her.

Naruto looked up to see Lloyd and Colette flying towards them. Genis was, once again, on Lloyd's back waving towards the ninjas. His guilty expression changed into shock as he questioned the people on how they escaped.

(Meanwhile (A/N: Time is passing here. I'm just making sure you know that. The different areas are for effect, if you know what I mean.))

"Okay, move calmly and quickly. This is an emergency situation," a chûnin said as he guided the Academy students and the civilians into a safe area.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" everyone heard as a loud explosion reached their ears. Everyone did it their own way, but each one of them actually started to panic. All the chûnin tried to stay calm, but they were worried, too. What if something happened to someone they knew and loved? What will happen if that was a signal of the enemy coming closer? What if…we're losing?

(A little later (I was getting tired of "Meanwhile"))

"There you are," Sasuke said as he caught up with Kankurô.

Kankurô grunted and started to look for an escape route when Temari jumped onto Kankurô's branch.

"I thought you were going to stall him," Kankurô said.

"I tried, but I'm too tired from my matches," Temari said in response.

"Okay then," Kankurô said as he gently laid Gaara on the branch and stepped forward, "I'll fight him. You take Gaara and run."

"But, Kankurô," she started. Kankurô only shouted a command towards Temari and she picked up Gaara and ran off. Facing down Sasuke, Kankurô placed his wrapped puppet on the branch next to him. Sasuke looked ready to fight and he was about to charge forward when…

"Go after Gaara. I'll handle him."

Not knowing who the voice was referring to; both placed themselves on guard. A rustle in the trees near Sasuke revealed who was talking.

"Shino," Sasuke said, "how did you find me?"

"I placed a bug on you before you left. The female of that particular species emits a small odor and it can only be detected by the male of the same species." Shino said.

Sasuke smirked and left.

Shino was staring down his opponent at the moment. After reaching Sasuke's position, he was immediately thrust into a battle with the puppet master. Shino was thinking about this battle at the moment.

"_He uses chakra strings to control his puppets. He hides himself well, but he's rendered powerless without a puppet. If I can just reach the puppet's joints with my bugs, this game would be over."_

Shino released a small swarm of his bugs around his arms and prepared for battle.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" they heard as a large gust came into the clearing they were in. Shino raised an eyebrow and Kankurô lost his balance momentarily before resuming his stance.

(A little deeper within the forest)

Sasuke had finally caught up with the elusive Gaara. He had to fight Temari once and hand off Kankurô to Shino to fight, but he was finally able to fight the mysterious Sand ninja. Sasuke also heard a loud bang, but he just assumed that it was a result of the massive snakes that came into the village.

"_Man, is this annoying. I know how Naruto beat Temari now. She was definitely good enough, but Naruto could whip her easily if he went all out. I still need to get him to against me with all he has, though. I mean, the one person that I was truly looking forward to fighting was Naruto. He's not the idiot that he makes himself look like and I want to see what he's hiding," _Sasuke thought as he faced down Gaara. Looking within Gaara's eyes and seeing the hatred within them had Sasuke thinking again.

"_I can fight him later. For now, I have to earn that right by beating this guy. Prepare yourself, warrior from the Sand!"_

"I don't know what you Sand guys are up to, but I'll stop you and find out your true identity!"

Gaara stared at Sasuke for a moment as his Sand armor cracked slightly. Gaara then started to clutch his head as a wave of pain hit it. As he groaned, the cracks within the armor increased in size.

Clutching his head, Gaara began to speak.

"You are strong. You are called Uchiha. You have friends. You have goals, and yet, you're similar to me."

Gaara, at this moment, looked as if his armor would shatter as he spoke.

"By killing you, I can confirm my existence by being the one who erased yours! I will be able to feel like I'm alive! You are my…"

Gaara screamed in agony as he clutched his head again. He fell to the branch and the armor seemed to shatter on Gaara's left side as something sprouted from his gourd.

"You…are my…"

Gaara shot up from his fallen position and thrashed as something covered his skin on the right side. He now looked like a half-raccoon mutant as he completed his statement.

"You are my prey!"

(Meanwhile)

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Enkôô: Enma (Summoning Technique: Monkey King: Enma)!"

A large monkey appeared within a puff of smoke. He was a monkey with white fur and he was wearing ninja gear and a headband, not unlike other ninja. He turned to the bound man that summoned him and spoke.

"Sarutobi, you must feel pathetic. You should have killed him back then."

"That's what I'm going to do now!"

"It's too late for that…" Enma said.

Sarutobi struggled within the branches and spoke again.

"Please, Enma; transform into the Kongô Nyoi (Free-Forming Diamond Pole)!"

Hearing this, Orochimaru issued a command to the previous two Hokage.

"Kill them! Don't let it transform!"

The two previous Hokage then charged toward the large monkey and attempted to destroy it, but Enma swatted them away like flies. Given a small margin between their attacks, Enma jumped back and transformed. Within the puff of smoke, a long black staff shot out and destroyed the branches that surrounded Sarutobi. Now free, he grabbed the staff and brandished it as Orochimaru watched.

"It's okay. I let that happen. This just gets more interesting by the second."

Orochimaru pushed his hands against the bottom of his stomach and seemed to vomit a snake. The snake opened its mouth and a long sword sprouted out of it.

Grabbing the sword, he waited for Sarutobi.

"Is that…the Kusanagi Blade?" Sarutobi asked.

"Even if I'm as hard as a diamond, the Kusanagi will still hurt me," Enma said.

Sarutobi extended the staff and started to swing towards Orochimaru. The staff didn't allow Orochimaru to get close with the sword until the Third went for a frontal attack, which was blocked by the Kusanagi. The First and Second went to attack at that point, the First tripping the Third and the Second knocking the staff away and then knocking the Third back. Sarutobi had secretly placed 2 explosive tags on each of them.

Orochimaru, putting down the sword, rushed Sarutobi and unleashed a hail of punches. The Third surprisingly did not block even one. Being knocked to the ground, Orochimaru held Sarutobi by his shirt and spoke.

"I must say, Sarutobi-sensei; I am disappointed. You didn't even create any Shadow Clones when you rushed me. Weren't you the one called the Professor since you learned every technique in Konoha?"

"Orochimaru," Sarutobi said under the snake man and shedding a single tear, "You fool!"

Sarutobi used his legs to hit the back of Orochimaru's knees, tripping him. He then rose as he picked him up and threw him. Looking around, he saw the two Hokage standing up. Activating the explosive notes, the First's left leg and the Second's left side blew apart, leaving them crippled. Sarutobi then watched as the pieces put themselves back together, allowing the First and Second to move again.

"_I guess I'll have to do something about the souls bound by the Edo Tensei technique. If that's the case, I'll have to use the Fourth's technique. Forgive me Shodai-sama, Nidaime-sama; I'll have to use that on you!"_

(Meanwhile)

"I'll show you the true power of the tactical puppet, Karasu!" Kankurô shouted as he drew his puppet.

"Even if our foe is a small bug, we will not underestimate it," Shino said.

Kankurô thrust his hand forward and Karasu charged. He flicked his wrist, revealing a blade on the end of Karasu's hand. Shino dodged out of the way to see that a purple fluid was spreading on the branch where the blade impacted.

"_The blade is poisoned. I'll have to watch out of that."_

(End Chapter)

A/N: I know it's short, but I wanted to get one more chapter in before I have to stop for a while. I'm not sure when I'll get my hands on a computer but I'll try to get a hold of one as soon as possible and type the next chapter. It's not exactly easy finding an available computer when you're moving 2 states away. Well, see you later!


	23. Chapter 22: Interesting

A/N: Hit with a sudden inspiration, I'm trying to type up the next chapter. Please don't blame me if this chapter is super-short because I'm doing this on the run.

Only certain reviews will be replied to at this point. I'll regard your presence at the end if you don't get a formal reply.

**NewSon: **I didn't change Naruto's outfit. It's still the same, but thanks for the suggestion.

**Calimora: **There is something that nobody in the original Naruto series can do, but the ToS characters can.

**Arganaut: **No, I'm not. Kyûbi's chakra will be like it is in the series except the part about losing himself after drawing the fourth tail. The difference is the fact Yondaime is in the seal. You'll see.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I don't plan on keeping them there for very long. They do have a purpose, though. I'm only going to tell you one thing: sometimes you have to strengthen a person to bring them down.

**Kitsu Maharu: **Now, now, (drinks cup of tea) don't kill him, now. If you do, many people will be after you and I don't think you want to go through something that troublesome. You got some nice tea, there. I'm going to have to watch my intake.

**IcecreamMakingGuy: **Oh man, I have to explain this again, don't I? I'll just copy and paste my last explanation. "No, it's Yoko. "Yo"in Yoko can be written with the Kanji for mystic. "Ko" can be written with the Kanji for fox. The Kanji for "Ko" can also be pronounced "Kitsune" alone, but with the Kanji for Mystic in front of it, it sounds like Yoko. If you don't believe me, watch the Japanese version of the first episode when Mizuki says that Naruto is the Kyûbi or the 77th episode when Naruto has a flashback of that day during the Naruto vs. Gaara fight. He says, "Kyûbi no Yoko."Thanks for trying to clear that up, though." I hope you get it now.

**X-275 Strike Fisha: **It's a spoiler for the end of the game. If you don't want to know, STOP READING AND SKIP TO THE STORY! I won't spoil anything within the story itself on how he gains the wings or the journey of Regeneration.

**Spoiler Warning: **Lloyd gains his own set of wings at the end of the game before Lloyd and Colette both wield the Eternal Sword to revive the Great Kharlan Tree. If you're reading this, you probably know this. I'm writing this story post-game.

**Becky Yuy: **Wow, I really thank you for your thorough checking of my grammar. Thanks for pointing that out. For a junior in high school, I have to fix that. I didn't mind the rant at all and this is one of the most useful reviews I've received in a while! Thanks!

I thank everyone that reviewed this time around. I apologize for the fact that I'm a little time-constricted so I don't have the time to rely to everyone.

Here's the 23rd installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate" (working title if necessary).

Disclaimer: Okay, Mary, don't forget your booster seat and your pillow. Benny, set next to Tommy. Juniper, stop picking on Ronald! Joseph, don't sit on Harry!

(Walks away from excessively large van)

**OG: **Anyway, I know you know what I'm about to say. If you excuse me, I have a van full of animal friends to transport.

(Chapter Start)

Shino was currently hiding in the bushes as one of his bug clones were hit with a couple of poisoned daggers.

"_Now, block the puppet's joints when the clone dissipates. I'll go plant a female from your colony onto the puppeteer. One of you males will have to lead me to him when it is time," _Shino said to his bugs.

As planned, Shino's bug clone exploded into bugs and some of the bugs were thrown onto the puppet. Then, Shino appeared behind Kankurô and secretly placed a bug on him as Kankurô blocked a punch.

"You made a clone and snuck behind me to attack. Nice strategy," Kankurô said as he jumped to another branch.

"You are strong in mid to long-range combat. I figured that your weakness would be your weak close-range combat skills since you must keep your concentration on controlling the puppet," Shino said in response.

"You know a puppeteer's weak spot well. But now, I'll show you what a puppet master is capable of. That is, I'll show you the true power of the combat puppet Karasu!"

Reattaching the chakra strings, Karasu charged forward. Shino prepared to dodge another blade coming from Karasu's arm, but that's not what happened.

The mouth opened, sending a bomb of some sort towards Shino. Shino guarded with his bugs as the sphere made impact.

(Meanwhile)

"Okay, what do we do once we catch up to the Sand kid?" Sakura asked as the group jumped/flew through the forest.

"Actually, I haven't thought about that," Naruto said. The rest of the people present sweat-dropped at the statement.

"What do you mean, 'I haven't thought about that yet'?" Sakura asked, annoyed.

"Well, I don't really know how much damage the Sand bastard can do. Also, I don't know how much I can do with this little…WHOA!"

The branch under Naruto cracked and broke, sending Naruto falling about 50 feet. Naruto tried to catch himself on another branch on the way down, but that branch broke also. Breaking 10 more branches (painfully), Naruto finally made a somewhat rough landing upon the ground. Naruto suddenly realized something.

"_Wait a second, why did I say that? Shouldn't I be the stupid one? Has my mask really fallen that far?"_

"_**Maybe it has. You're going to have to be more careful about keeping your true abilities a secret."**_

"_Yeah, you're right. But, how do I keep it a secret now? I've damaged my disguise too much for it to be recovered."_

"_**Well, maybe you should work with what you have. I mean, everybody knows that you're more than you seem to be. Prove them right, but not too much."**_

"_What do you mean by that?"_

"**_What I'm saying is that you should be intelligent, but not too much so. You can loosen your original mask, but, at the same time, keep it secure by not revealing too much. Hide more of your ability, but feel free to use some of it."_**

"_Hmm, that just might work. Thanks, Inner Me."_

Naruto reentered the real world as he heard laughter from somewhere. He looked around to see who was laughing, but he couldn't sense anyone else there except the group he was traveling with. And they weren't laughing. Naruto shrugged and stood up. He jumped into the trees and saw Pakkun sniffing. The dog pointed them towards Sasuke and they were on their way again.

(Meanwhile)

Sarutobi was enshrouded in a veil of darkness as he blocked the relentless attacks of the two previous Hokage. At the first opportunity, Sarutobi used Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to create two other clones. Performing seals, he called out into the darkness.

"Now, Orochimaru, I will show you a technique that even you do not know!"

Orochimaru's voice pierced the darkness and it sounded as if Orochimaru was surrounding him.

"Really now, Sarutobi-sensei; enlighten me on this. What don't I know?"

The three Sarutobi's were deep in concentration as the death god appeared behind him. The god then lifted its left hand and allowed the beads to wrap around it. The hand was then covered in black marks as it plunged its hand into the blue dummy in front of it. Sarutobi groaned.

"_So, this is the Death God that only the summoners can see. It is truly fearsome."_

Sarutobi mentally commanded his clones to go out and capture anything they can find. They soon grabbed onto two figures and awaited the technique's activation. The darkness shattered and the two captured figures were brought into view. The legends of the village, the First and Second Hokage, were captured and scheduled for execution.

(Meanwhile)

Flashing through the seals, Sasuke activated the Chidori for the third time that day. Although Sasuke was warned to not use it more than twice, he had to win this battle. Sasuke was battered and bruised by the raccoon…thing that Gaara turned into. Actually, it was more of a half raccoon, half human creature thing. He was covered in sand above the waist, but the lower half of his body was still human, if he was human in the first place. Who would've thought that it would be so powerful, though? Sasuke knew that the Sand genin was tough, but he sure as hell didn't expect this!

"_I must win here. No matter the cost, I will prevail!"_

The two charged forward, Gaara swinging his chakra enhanced arm and Sasuke is wielding the sword that was the Chidori. Halfway through the attack, Sasuke felt a sharp pain in his arm. Wincing in pain, his focus broke for that one moment, allowing the Chidori to fade. Noticing this, Sasuke forced it back out. A large ripping sound was heard as a flash of light surrounded the area.

The two boys stood on opposite tree branches, waiting for the other to move. Sasuke looked over his shoulder just in time to see Gaara's arm drop. Gaara screamed out in pain and the laugh turned into a devious laugh.

"You are very challenging Uchiha Sasuke. But, it seems you're at your limit."

Indeed he was. Just as Sasuke heard that, he felt the throbbing pain of the curse seal followed by the immense exhaustion of severe chakra depletion. He knelt down onto the tree branch and collapsed. He was still conscious, but he couldn't move. Gaar thrust hhis hand forward to ensnare Sasuke when…

"Sasuke-kun!"

A red flash appeared and jumped in front of the hand. Gaara moved the hands path into a tree to see that a pink haired woman was captured within his hand.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, panicked at his teammate's interference.

"I see that there are bugs here to interrupt our fight. We'll have to take care of that."

Gaara squeezed Sakura with his hand and Sakura groaned in pain. Naruto jumped down in front of Sasuke as he began to stand again.

"Back off, Gaara," Naruto said, his voice dripping with malice.

"Do you wish to fight me, Uzumaki Naruto?" Gaara asked; curiosity and amusement evident in his voice.

"Actually, no, I don't. I'm just here to defend my village. If you want to destroy my home, you'll have to go through us."

"Really now? Who else will help you?" Gaara asked.

Naruto smirked and pointed upward.

"They will," Naruto said as he looked upward. "LET HIM HAVE IT!"

"JUDGMENT!"

"CYCLONE!"

Beams of light burst from the air and struck him. A tornado formed around him as another red flash ran up to him and caused balls of light to rise from the tree branch he was on. The multiple attacks thrust Gaara into the air as the red figure sliced down on the Sand genin sending him falling to the ground. Naruto jumped into the air and quickly formed the seals for Denkô Dangan no Jutsu. Charging all 5 shots into his finger, he shouted around him.

"Okay, let's finish this!"

A thousand clones appeared from the trees around Gaara and Hinata burst from the bushes, attempting to move Sakura to safety before Naruto unleashed his attack.

"Kage Bunshin Raidanketsu: Jûkei (Shadow Clone Lightning Combination: Death by Firing Squad)!"

Flashes of light appeared from all sides as the clones unloaded all five shots into Gaara. 1000 clones and 5 shots each made 5000 shots, all of which hit Gaara from a different angle. Gaara was pummeled deep into the ground by the shots as he felt the pain of the shocks. Looking up, he saw one more Naruto charging up a large shot. Naruto (the original) fired the incredible bolt of energy into the Sand genin as the bolt pierced his sand armor. A large cloud of dust rose from the wreckage as Naruto landed on a nearby branch. Everyone paid close attention to the hole, Naruto ready and waiting with his wind kunai, Lloyd with his swords drawn, and Genis with his kendama, muttering to himself as he casts another spell. Colette was currently helping Hinata take Sakura to safety.

Naruto then heard a demonic laugh as the dust began to settle. Everyone in the clearing saw a figure in the dust, but one thing was certain.

It was definitely not human.

A burst of wind came from nowhere, knocking everyone off balance and sending everyone flying, except Naruto, who was struggling to hold back the wind with his kunai.

"**Uzumaki, it seems that I'm in the mood for blood. Since you're the closest thing here, I guess that means you. MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE!"**

Naruto stepped back and tried to hold his ground as a sandy raccoon charged toward him. The winds intensified as Gaara grew closer. At most, there was about 5 seconds worth in distance between them.

4 seconds. The winds intensified as Naruto pumped more chakra into the kunai.

3 seconds. Gaara laughed evilly as he sped towards his target. Sand is gathering around his body as he rushes forward.

2 seconds. Naruto can get a good look at Gaara as the genin that resembled a sand boulder with a head drew closer.

1 second. The wind kunai shatters, leaving Naruto absolutely defenseless. Naruto braces himself for the impact of the boulder.

Impact.

CRACK! SNAP! BAM! CRUNCH!

Naruto is sent flying. He sees the forms of the others who were with him as they watch in horror. Sakura is unconscious and Sasuke watches in shock. Naruto goes through about 20 trees before coming into a stop on a relatively large one. Naruto is barely able to move as he hears a voice.

"**Suna Shuriken!"**

Packets of destructive sand fly towards him. Unable to react, Naruto takes the impact as he feels the distinct pain of a broken arm. Naruto attempts to rise, but his body feels too heavy to stand. Naruto is able to see Gaara at this point. He is now the size of the trees he broke on the way there and he was extending his hand towards Naruto.

"Raiton: Denkô Dangan no Jutsu!"

Naruto widens his eyes as he sees Sasuke firing a semi-powerful bolt towards Gaara's extended hand. Gaara faces Sasuke as he speaks to Naruto.

"Hey, Naruto, rest for a bit. I'll take care of him."

Gaara only smirks and speaks to Sasuke.

"**I'll deal with you momentarily. First, I'll take care of the Uzumaki."**

Gaara thrust his hand forward as Sasuke rushed toward his teammate. Running slightly ahead of the hand, Sasuke dove toward Naruto and snatched his right arm, the arm that wasn't broken. The left arm hung limply in the wind, and Naruto was cringing in pain.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Naruto asked as he was dropped onto a tree limb about 300 feet from Gaara..

"Helping you out. I refuse to see one of my friends die."

"_Friends?" _Naruto thought.

Ignoring the pain in his arms, Naruto smirked and brought his left arm next to his right arm.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, getting his attention.

"What?" Sasuke asked; his Sharingan active.

"Watch closely."

Naruto formed five seals with great difficulty.

Ne, Tori, Inu, Tatsu, Hitsuji(Rat, Bird, Dog, Dragon, Ram)

Naruto clutched his hand on this forearm, splinting the broken bone. Just as he was sure that it was positioned correctly, Naruto's hand shone a distinct green. After about 2 minutes, Naruto removed his hand and started to move his left arm as he clutched other parts of his body, healing them. Naruto stood unsteadily and smirked at Sasuke, who was looking at him in shock.

"That was Kôsei no Jutsu," Naruto said, "It'll heal any minor injury and some moderate injuries. I can move my arm now, but it still hurts like hell."

Stepping forward, Naruto began to speak.

"Now, it seems as though Gaara won't regard you until he's finished with me. You stay back and try to recover. The Denkô Dangan uses a lot of chakra, especially the first time you use it."

Naruto jumped into the air and landed on another branch a little ways away from Sasuke. There, he pulled out a scroll from his weapons pouch.

"_I think it's about time I tried these out."_

Naruto opened the scrolls and pulled out his swords. They were lighter than regular katana, but Naruto made them durable as well.

(In Naruto's mind)

"**Well, the blades finally come out to play, huh?" **Kyûbi said to no one on particular as he observed the battle and the boy's actions. **"This should prove quite interesting."**

"**_You think so? I think it can become a lot more interesting than this," _**a voice called, catching Kyûbi's attention.

"**Really? What do you mean?"**

"_**Simple, I can help out a little bit."**_

Kyûbi widened his eyes at the comment. **"You can do that?"**

"_**Why not? I'm perfectly capable of aiding him in battle. There's not really much else to do here other than screw with Naruto's thoughts of you-know-who, but I'm not willing to do that in the middle of a fight."**_

Yondaime disappeared from Kyûbi's sight and Kyûbi gave a small smirk as he looked back towards the battle.

"**So, once again, you face one of us. This will be very interesting indeed."**

(Outside)

"**_Are you sure you know how to use those? Hayate hasn't really taught you that much," _**the mysterious voice said.

"_Ah, shut it. I'm thinking here," _Naruto thought in reply.

"_**Uh-huh, sure; you have no idea how to fight this guy, do you?"**_

"_Of course not, that's why I'm trying to think of something. By the way, if you haven't noticed, you're not helping!"_

Naruto thought of ways to attack Gaara when he finally showed up, but none of them were good enough. He needed to incapacitate Gaara fast if he even wanted to stand a chance.

"_**Hey brainiac, have you thought of slicing off the sand armor? If you want to take out the redhead, you got to get to him. I'm pretty damn sure he buried in there somewhere."**_

"_How the hell do I do that? I'll be sliced to bits before I can even get close to the guy!"_

"_**Use the swords, dumbass; if you can focus and cut through wind with a kunai, you sure as hell can do it with a sword, it just takes more chakra, stupid."**_

"_Yeah, well chakra is something I don't have at the moment, if you hadn't noticed."_

"_**Since when were you such an idiot? Did you forget about the demon inside you?"**_

"…"

"_**Ha, got you there, didn't I?"**_

"_Shut up."_

Naruto called upon the demon's power. He questioned the fact that Kyûbi was chuckling when he gave it to him, but he didn't really pay attention.

He was a little busy trying to find a way around a big sandy mountain in front of him.

"_**Holy shit; that guy's huge!"**_

"_No shit, Sherlock; you just noticed?"_

Naruto gulped before leaping up onto Gaara's head. Naruto brought the blade down onto Gaara's sandly head, to feel it bouncing off the hard surface. That unfortunately, lost Naruto the element of surprise since Gaara quickly retaliated with a gale force wind.

"Fûton: Mugen Sajin Daitoppa!"

Naruto began to hear the voice again. Naruto listened carefully, seeing as he had no other option or plan for this situation.

"_**Use the blades to cut through the wind. When you do, you will have a fraction of a second to move forward of move out of the way before the wind restores itself."**_

Naruto took this advice and slashed, with difficulty, through the wind. Doing so knocked him off balance, but Naruto was able to move his arms.

"_**Spin your body like a top and focus chakra into the blades to create a temporary shield. It's kind of like the Hyûga's Kaiten, but with swords."**_

Naruto performed that maneuver, also with difficulty, but succeeded, making Naruto able to move without being harmed by flying debris.

"_**Continue spinning, slowly gliding your body within range of Gaara. When you get about 5 feet away from him, destroy the shield with a large gust of wind and allow the bits of the shield to embed itself within the armor. Then, stab your sword into one of the holes the shards create before it closes up."**_

Naruto groaned as he moved slowly towards the Jinchûriki. Gaara increased the force of the wind, making Naruto groan as he strained to move towards the ninja. After about 5 minutes, Naruto finally got within range and blasted through the shield around him with a potent gust of wind. Momentarily, the wind around him stopped as the shards were propelled deep into the armor of Gaara. Naruto then took both of his swords and stabbed them into the two nearest holes, gaining a roar from Gaara. Naruto was then smacked away into the trunk of a nearby tree.

He was really dizzy from the maneuver and he began to complain.

"_What the hell? That only pissed off the bastard! Now I'm dizzy and I have yet another injury!"_

"_**Well, it worked, see?"**_

"_What would've happened if it didn't work?"_

Naruto looked up to see the double-vision image of Gaara's sand sliding off of him, revealing the Sand ninja, clutching a wound in his side. Ignoring the double-vision, Naruto took the chance to knock out the redhead.

Smashing him in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword, Gaara fell to the ground, face up, unconscious. Naruto panted heavily as he looked down at his foe. Naruto began to sit down to rest when he felt something.

"_What was that?"_

"**_I have a bad feeling about this," _**the voice said.

"**This is going to be fun to watch," **another voice responded.

(End)

A/N: Well, I hope you guys like this. I'm currently playing an everlasting game of catch-up in my classes in my new school (4 AP classes) and I may not update as often. I'm sorry this chapter's so short. I'll try and put in the next installment when I have the time. Well, Happy Halloween to you all and a Happy Birthday to me! (It's sometime during the month of October, like I said on my profile. I'm not telling you exactly when though.) I'll see you next time!

By the way, I apologize to **Arganaut, VenomLord **and **Tellemicus Sundance **for not reviewing to your respective stories for a while. I'll get right back on that.

**Arganaut: **I like your idea about Auron's sickness, but be very careful about how you explain it. It has to make sense. You can't say anything about …say, a sickness because of the dimensional shift without it making sense.

**Tellemicus Sundance: **I don't know, maybe, you'll teach Naruto another technique since you already taught Naruto the Rasengan.


	24. Chapter 23: Aura

A/N: I am back! Here I am with yet another chapter of CI (getting tired of typing my entire story name over and over again). I've gotten over my writer's block and there is somewhat of a lapse in my teacher's assignment giving schedule so I have the time to type this up. Yay! Anyway, I hope you enjoy my chapter.

Since I have the time again, I'll be responding to everyone's reviews. I am not really griping about the quality of the reviews anymore. I understand that some people just don't have the time or the energy to scour my story, trying to find faults. I do appreciate the ones who do, though.

Here are the review responses!

**Ed-chan13: **Okay, I do appreciate your input but please tell me where I'm "bashing homosexuals" so I can fix it. It gets annoying when you tell me to fix something I don't have a problem with (in my opinion after reading through all my profile and stories).

**Duckmasta2020: **I think it's a great idea, but you have to have a downside to use it so Naruto doesn't get super-powered.

**Sugar High Water Uma: **Thanks for your critique. I'm not all that great in humor, but I'll try to get the funny in there somewhere. Technically, this is not a full blown crossover because I'm not putting anything from ToS except the characters and Iselia. And, after I'm done getting what I need from them, they'll probably vanish, never to be typed up again.

**Satetsu: **Your review is great. I wouldn't mind even if it wasn't a rant. I already gave the names of the three characters, though I won't go in depth about them since they only have one purpose. My story line will change after Sasuke's betrayal, but there will be differences until then. I repeatedly put the name to eliminate confusion on who's talking. Thanks for your review!

**Mikazuchi: **Hey, thanks for taking time out of your schedule to read my story! I know it's not that bad, but I know it's still bad enough for me to not have much confidence in it. I hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: **OG:** Hey, don't push! I know you didn't like the drive over here, but don't kill each other! Watch out for the small ones! Don't forget your stuff and I do not want to see any "accidents" in there!

(Walks away as the animals make their way out of the van)

**OG: **Anyway, I don't own Naruto. But, I do own that Game Boy that Joseph is about to step on! Watch you step!

Now, here's the 24th Installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"!

(Chapter Start)

Shino watched as his bugs drained Kankurô of his chakra. He fell to his knees as the puppet fell to the ground. Shino's vision began to fade as the poison started to take effect.

(Meanwhile)

Clutching his blades, Naruto looked around and saw Sasuke, Hinata, Sakura, Lloyd, Colette and Genis in the distance, watching Naruto intently. They all had their separate thoughts.

"_Since when did he know how to use a sword?"_

"_That's amazing! Where did he learn that?"_

"_He's only getting more mysterious. I had no idea that Naruto had so much skill with the blades."_

"_He's not all that great with those swords. He's good, but not great."_

"_That pretty close to how Lloyd fights, but not exactly the same. Lloyd has more skill with his swords."_

"_So, that was the "chakra" that these ninjas use."_

Naruto took a deep breath and started to walk off. He smiled towards the people in the distance. He was only a few steps away from the others before he felt the feeling again. This time, it felt stronger. He turned towards the source and saw Gaara's pulsating body. His body was hit with a spasm as the pulse was felt again.

"_**Oh shit, the guy still has some fight in him."**_

"_Does that mean what I think it means?"_

"_**Only if you're thinking that this guy might be more dangerous after you knock him out."**_

"_Yeah, that's not good."_

Naruto gulped as he turned towards Gaara's seemingly unconscious body. He moved closer, clutching his blades, ready to defend himself at the first opportunity. He stopped about 10 feet away and jumped back slightly as another pulsation came through the air.

…And, that's all he saw before he blacked out.

(Meanwhile)

The Third panted heavily as he saw his two clones dissipate. A lone tear fell from his eye as he saw Orochimaru gape in shock.

"Orochimaru, you're next!"

Orochimaru growled as Sarutobi charged forward. Ready to defend himself, he tried to bring his hands together, but…

"What the…"

Orochimaru saw a twisted limb around each of his arms and a head on his shoulder. He turned his head slightly to see the head of Misumi Tsurugi, stretched out on his neck, which was binding his head's movement.

"Why Orochimaru-sama, why did you murder me?"

Orochimaru called the Kusanagi and cut away the body as it turned to dust. He saw Enma's approaching form and bound it with a mass of snakes. Facing Sarutobi, he saw that it was too late.

Sarutobi had already grabbed Orochimaru's body.

"Do you see now the reason I did not choose you to become Hokage?" Sarutobi asked, smirking.

Sarutobi groaned as he felt a hand going through his soul and pouring out of the flesh in his stomach and into Orochimaru's. He could feel the soul through the hand of the death god and it felt filthy.

Orochimaru felt an impact in his abdomen as he held the Kusanagi. He looked down and saw nothing impacting his stomach. Sarutobi spoke again, getting Orochimaru's attention.

"This is the technique of our village's greatest hero. This is the technique that saved us from the terror of the Kyûbi. Now, it will be the technique that will vanquish you!"

"My life will not be extinguished!" Orochimaru shouted as he slowly lifted the Kusanagi. With a lack of strength in his arms, Orochimaru could only move the sword a little at a time. He looked as his target and saw a hazy image from behind it. Behind the Third, a blue spirit came into view. He was clutching a blue dummy with one hand and impaling it with the other. He looked down to his abdomen and saw a continuation of the blue hand that pierced the dummy. The hand had black speckles on it, not unlike the patterns of one of his curse marks. Orochimaru grew afraid as the Death God grinned and made a show of slicing souls and feeding himself. Sarutobi spoke again.

"You see it, don't you? This is a technique that summons a god of death to destroy your soul!"

"You stupid old man; I will not die here!" Orochimaru shouted, gathering his strength in his arm and thrusting the blade into Sarutobi's flesh. Since it was a strike of fury, the blow was not instantly fatal, but Sarutobi would die without extreme medical attention. "Why didn't you dodge it?" Orochimaru asked, shocked at his sensei's wound.

"The price of the technique's effect is the life of the caster. I'm going to die anyway. But, if I die, I'm taking you with me!"

Sarutobi strained as the death god began pulling his hand, clutching Orochimaru's soul and moving through Sarutobi's. A portion of Orochimaru's filthy soul was dragged out into the open, the dark impurities of it being shown to the surface.

"You have led a despicable life, Orochimaru. Your soul is as dark as the Kyûbi's!"

Still clutching the Kusanagi, Orochimaru started to push deeper with whatever strength he had left. Orochimaru's soul began to pull back into his body as he did so, making Sarutobi strain to keep it out.

"_Is this my limit? I cannot fail!"_

Sarutobi groaned to grasp Orochimaru's filthy soul. Orochimaru strained to drive his blade deeper into Sarutobi. Sarutobi could not pull any longer and spoke to Orochimaru.

"If I cannot take your life, I will take away your ambition!"

Sarutobi groaned loudly as he grabbed Orochimaru's arms and pulled sharply. The blue soul pieces went into his belly and he fell to the ground as Orochimaru saw his arms turn a sickly purple. He lost all feeling in his arms and they slumped, lifeless to his side. Enma, breaking free, spoke as he saw the color drain from Sarutobi's eyes.

"At least, let me pull out the sword, Sarutobi."

Enma pulled out the blade from the Third's body.

Orochimaru was soon carried off by the four people who built the barrier, his arms dangling limply in the wind.

On that day, went a great warrior. On that day, went a great leader. On that day, went Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage.

(Meanwhile)

"_**Wow, he's really out cold, isn't he?"**_

"**Of course he is, you dumbass, he wouldn't be inside his own head, lying on the "ground" if he wasn't, now would he?"**

"_**Well yeah, but what the hell happened?"**_

"**Isn't it obvious? This idiot got too close to a guy who could use the earth around him to turn into a 10-story behemoth! He got blown away!"**

"_**How're we going to wake him up?"**_

"**I have a way…" **Kyubi said as a red hand of energy burst out of the cage, motioning to smack Naruto's astral form. Yondaime jumped in front of the hand, holding two spheres that were spinning rapidly.

"_**Do that and I'll go in there and shove both of these so far up your ass, you'll be digesting your tails."**_

Kyûbi chuckled before drawing back his hand. Yondaime spoke after making the spheres disappear.

"_**Okay then, if he's here, how's his body?"**_

Kyûbi smirked. **"He's being healed at the moment. I think I could get his body up and running in about 5 minutes.**

"_**Okay, 5 minutes then; I guess I'll have to give more than advice this time around."**_

"**What the hell are you talking about?"**

Yondaime smirked. "**_You'll see soon enough, my furry-assed prisoner."_**

(Outside, about 5 minutes later)

In a small clearing within the forest, Naruto lay under a large pile of fallen trees and branches. If he was awake, he would have no idea where exactly he was and he would have difficulty trying to find out due to the immense amount of debris that was on top of him. His companions were blown away by the same force he was and they were not in sight. If he was awake, he would have thought, _"How the hell am I going to get out of this?" _

But, he wasn't awake. Since he wasn't, he couldn't wonder about the whereabouts of him and his companions. Since he wasn't, he couldn't try to think of a way to get out of the situation. Since he wasn't, he couldn't notice a faint red aura surrounding his wounds and a faint yellow aura surrounding his entire body. The red aura began to disappear as the wounds healed. The yellow aura faded as well, but it seemed that the aura did nothing.

It was then when two small frogs appeared out of the forest ruins. The first was about the size of a ninja's weapon pouch and was of an orange color. He had what appeared to be a grayish shirt around his body. The second was slightly smaller than the first and was of a darkish yellow color. He was wearing a shirt similar to that of the first, the difference being that the shirt was of a golden brown color. The frogs began to speak.

"Is Naruto-nî-chan going to be okay?" the second frog asked.

The first frog hopped forward and poked Naruto's body without a response.

"I don't know. He's out like a light though. What does he expect, standing that close to a person that can send you flying with a wave of his arm?" the first frog said.

"Well, what do we do?" the second frog asked.

"I don't know. I guess we'll have to wait for him to come to, won't we. He's such an idiot. Who would go up to someone when their body is pulsating! I mean, come on, I bet even Gamatatsu would back off if he felt those vibrations! He's lucky he's not dead!" the first frog said, ranting about Naruto's stupidity.

"You're right, he is kind of stupid."

The two frogs heard a loud cracking and snapping of wood and they turned to see Naruto standing and dusting himself off.

"Well now, let's see. The orange one is Gamakichi and the yellowish one is Gamatora, am I correct? Naruto told me about you."

The two frogs were confused. Why was Naruto talking like he barely knew them? Gamakichi understood why he could be referred to as such, but Gamatora knew him for a while. And, from what Gamatora said, Naruto was not one to forget a name. If that was the case, they could have blamed the forgetfulness on account of smashing his head through half a forest. The more important question was why was he referring to himself in the third person?

"Uh, Naruto-nî-chan, what's wrong?" the second frog, Gamatora, asked.

"Naruto's not in the building at the moment, may I take a message?" Naruto said in response, confusing the frogs even further.

"Naruto" formed his hands in five distinct seals and slammed his hand on the ground below him. A large puff of smoke arose from the area. Within the smoke, a large frog could be seen.

"Hey, what the hell am I doing here?" Gamabunta asked angrily.

"Oh shut up and look in front of you to see the extremely tiny problem we have. I'm going to need your help for this, Froggy," "Naruto" said.

"Hey urchin, what do you think you're doing, talking to a supreme being such as I in such an informal manner?" Gamabunta shouted, noticing the small blonde on his head.

"Oh shut up and help me, Froggy," "Naruto" said.

"Why you, do you want to die here?" Gamabunta asked, indignant.

"Naruto" laughed, making Gamabunta raise an eyebrow. Only one person he knew had such a characteristic laugh. The problem was the guy was dead.

Naruto stopped laughing abruptly and spoke in a serious tone.

"Uh-oh, look out Boss!"

Gamabunta looked forward and saw a sandy behemoth taking in a breath. Gamabunta widened his eyes as he jumped in the air and formed a seal, drawing in a breath as well. The sandy behemoth that was Gaara released his attack into the air where Gamabunta just jumped.

"Fûton: Renkûdan (Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet)!"

Gamabunta released his attack moments before the wind shot hit him, deflecting it.

"Suiton: Teppôdama (Water Release: Gunshot)!"

"Well now, I guess I wasn't the only one making up new techniques, now was I?"

"Shut up, I'm busy!" Gamabunta shouted as he blocked another air thrust with his water ball. Naruto smirked and started forming seals as he spoke.

"Now let's see if I remember this correctly. Ushi, Saru, U, Ne, I, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Tori (Ox, Monkey, Hare, Rat, Boar, Bird, Ox, Horse, Bird) …"

Gamabunta countered yet another air shot with his water blast.

"Ne, Tora, Inu, Tora, Mi, Ushi, Hitsuji, Mi, I, Hitsuji, Ne, Saru, Tori, Tatsu, Tori (Rat, Tiger, Dog, Tiger, Snake, Ox, Ram, Snake, Boar, Ram, Rat, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Snake, Rat, Monkey, Hare, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Bird)…"

Gaara fired yet another blast of air in an attempt to take down the big frog in front of him.

"Ne, I, Saru, Tori, Tatsu, Tori, Ushi, Uma, Hitsuji, Tora, Mi, Me, Saru, U, I, Tatsu, Hitsuji, Ne, Ushi, Saru, Tori, Ne, I, Tori (Rat, Boar, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Snake, Rat, Monkey, Hare, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Bird, Rat, Boar, Bird)…"

Gamabunta fired another shot of water just in time before the air blast hit him. Naruto jumped in the air towards the area where the two attacks met, holding the bird seal. He focused his chakra into the dispersed water droplets around him as he released his attack.

"Suiton: Suiryûdan (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet)!"

The water around Naruto formed into a large serpent and began to rush Gaara. Unfortunately, Gaara was able to wave it aside with his arm. Fortunately, the arm soon dropped as it turned into mud.

"Haruhi would be proud. It's a wonder that I still remember that after all these years. That has got to hurt Naruto though. Oh well, at least he's awake now."

(In Naruto's head)

"OW, what the HELL was that?!" Naruto shouted as he bolted from his position on the "floor".

"**Finally awake, brat?" **Kyûbi asked from within his cage, his nine tails swishing lazily.

Naruto responded as he usually would. "Who are you calling a brat?" Naruto shouted loudly, his voice echoing within the small cavern-like are that imprisoned Kyûbi.

After noticing the distinct echo, he looked around to see that he was inside his own head.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Naruto asked.

"**Well, you're here…" **Kyûbi said as he looked towards the show that was being displayed though Naruto's "vision center". He pointed one claw to the "screen" and spoke again. **"…and, you're out there, appearing to be kicking ass."**

Naruto looked at the screen as he saw his actions through his own eyes. His body performed a few seals, took a deep breath and expelled it, creating a large fireball (Gôkakyû no Jutsu). He then watched as the fireball negated a hail of Suna Shuriken that was heading towards him.

"What the hell…?" Naruto asked in shock as he looked at himself riding on a giant frog; fending off a giant raccoon. He then narrowed his eyes and began to storm out of Kyûbi's chamber, looking for a way to regain control of his own body.

"_There's no way in hell that I'll let anyone else kick ass in my body!" _Naruto thought.

"There's no way in hell that I'll let anyone else kick ass in my body!" Naruto heard. He stopped for a moment before thinking to himself.

"_Oh, right, this is my mind. All my thoughts are here anyway," _Naruto thought.

"Oh, right, this is my mind. All my thoughts are here anyway," Naruto heard.

"_Okay, that can get annoying," _Naruto thought.

"Okay, that can get annoying," Naruto heard.

Naruto made a face before thinking for a moment. He smiled slowly before thinking loudly.

"_Whoever the hell possessed my body; get the hell out before I beat the shit out of you!!!!!!"_

"WHOEVER THE HELL POSSESSED MY BODY; GET THE HELL OUT BEFORE I BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!!!!!!" Naruto heard, holding his ears as he smirked. He felt his body lurch for a moment and he heard a low growl coming from Kyûbi's chamber, followed by a voice.

"**Stupid asshole brat, deafen the nine-tailed demon in your belly why don't you?"**

Naruto laughed before feeling something funny. He looked down to see his body fading from the area as he felt himself regain control of his body slowly. Naruto began to lose his sight of the dank area as the sight of the sandy behemoth came into view. He slowly began to feel the presence of the chakra supply he had within him and he noticed the large chunk that seemed to be missing. Looking forward at Gaara and down at Gamabunta, he only smirked as he looked on.

Inside Naruto's head, he was unaware of the other blonde that happened to drop in after he left. Kyûbi looked up and snorted.

"**Great, and here I thought I was going to be rid of you for a while." **Kyûbi sighed. **"So, how was it?"**

"_**Well, it was okay, I guess. Naruto has some major training to do to get to my level. First of all, he needs to learn how to do the stupid seals faster. I could only do 10 seals per second!"**_

"**Whatever, let's just watch what he'll do now. You did put his swords back before summoning big guy over there, didn't you?"**

"_**Of course I did; do you really expect an expert swordsman such as I to forget to pick up my weapon?"**_

"**Well, you better hope so or else Naruto's going to come back in here and 'beats the shit out of you'."**

"**_Like he can…" _**Yondaime said as he turned to watch.

Naruto was currently facing Gaara. He was trying to think of something to do, but he was drawing blanks. Gamabunta continued to dodge and counter the air blasts to avoid being harmed. Naruto was sitting on Gamabunta's head, wondrously sitting calmly as Gamabunta jumped up and down, causing incredible tremors.

"_I can try to make Froggy here attack Gaara, but Gaara's attacks can still hurt the big guy. What do I do? What do I …?"_

"Hey hurry it up! I can't keep dodging this guy's stupid air shots! Do something already! Multiple shots of this guy's air bursts are becoming one hell of a challenge!"

Naruto snapped his eyes open wide at the thought. He quickly did the seals for the Denkô Dangan and charged his hand with as much chakra the technique would allow. With 5 malt ball sized bullets at his disposal, he frowned.

"_Not enough…"_

Doing the technique again, he attempted to multiply his shot count without resorting to the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. He looked at his hand again as Gamabunta leaped out of the way of another air blast. Naruto stood obliviously as he observed the golf ball sized bullets that were now in his hand. Naruto smirked as he thought of a plan. He then felt the impact of the landing of Gamabunta and shook violently, almost falling off. Regaining his balance, Naruto stood and did the seals again. Gamabunta looked at him as he did the same seal order three times, charging his hand in between.

"What the hell are you doing, brat? You can help me fight any day now!" Gamabunta said, greatly annoyed, Gamakichi and Gamatora long gone.

Naruto only smiled brightly as he held up a large ball of energy. The shots of the Denkô Dangan technique have gotten too big to be contained in Naruto's fingers. Now, the five shots have fused into an orb about the size of a bowling ball. Naruto was getting a little tired of pumping chakra into his hand, but he knew it was worth it due to what he was about to do. He just needed a little more information.

"Hey boss, I heard that you have a good blade on you. Is that true?" Naruto asked, smirking at the thought of what would happen if it was true.

"Of course I do brat! What of it?"

"Excellent; do you think you can get close enough to Gaara for me to hit him with this?" Naruto asked holding the orb.

"No way, brat! There's no way I'm getting that close to something that dangerous on the command of a guy who hasn't shared sake with me yet! You're still a little brat!" Gamabunta shouted, getting annoyed.

Naruto frowned at the comment before shouting back. "Do you think I can drink sake at my age? It's illegal!"

"Nonetheless, you still aren't worthy enough to boss me around. Forget it!"

Naruto growled before shutting his eyes and focusing an incredible amount of chakra in the hand with orb. "Yeah, well, do you think you can get close enough for me to hit him with this?"

The orb burst into a blade that stretched about 6 feet from his arm (Think Shôsen no Jutsu (Mystical Palm Technique), except charged with electricity and about 6 feet long). Gamabunta smirked as he thought about how fun it would be to impale the sandy behemoth as he drew his blade.

"Ah, just like old times, eh Yondaime? I never thought you'd have found a way to use an energy blade in there," Gamabunta said, drawing a raised eyebrow from Naruto.

"Yondaime, what does he have to do with this?"

Gamabunta gave a small puff of his pipe before narrowing his eyes. "Nothing that concerns you, brat; let's take this guy down!"

"For once I agree with you!" Naruto shouted as he prepared to attack.

Gamabunta leapt forward, thrusting his dagger towards Gaara was Naruto prepared to strike. Gamabunta said something as he charged forward.

"I'm aiming to distract and possibly disarm him. You are aiming about 4 feet into the forehead."

"Why is that?"

"The vessel, this Gaara, only needs to have a smack to wake up and solve our problems. His shield is so hard; my dagger won't go too far in. You have an energy blade; able to pierce his armor more effectively and with more accuracy. Get ready!"

Naruto and Gamabunta were only 5 feet away from Gaara when Naruto jumped off, using Gamabunta's momentum to propel his body at a high speed. Gamabunta still sped towards Gaara, striking his arm with his dagger. Naruto placed his hand on Gaara's forehead. Focusing the chakra in his hand, Naruto focused and shot the lightning based blade into the sandy giant.

"Rakurai no Tsurugi (Sword of Thunderbolts)!"

Naruto heard a muffled scream and he felt the sand shift below him. Naruto backed off momentarily disengaging the lighting blade and landing not so gracefully on Gamabunta's back. Gamabunta dropped his dagger as he started to look weary.

"Hey brat, take it from here. Countering those air blasts for you is really starting to get to me."

Gamabunta vanished as Naruto landed on the top of a tree branch. He panted as he saw the sandy giant disintegrate, dropping a certain, red-haired ninja onto the branch, a gash on his face. The two ninja looked onward as Naruto spoke.

"So, it seems this is the end. We're both too depleted of energy to do anything but one last attack. I don't even have enough energy to wield my swords. It's all down to this. Are you ready?"

Gaara gave a subtle nod as Gamabunta's dagger fell between the two trees. As it hit the ground, it exploded in a puff of smoke. As if the dagger itself was a symbol, the two ninja put the very last of their energy into their respective attacks. Naruto and Gaara charged through the air between the two trees and put as much force into their fists as they possibly can.

WHAM!

Naruto's fist made contact with Gaara's solar plexus as Gaara's fist made contact with Naruto's face. They both fell to the ground, the soft sand cushioning their blows. Naruto moved from his position on the ground and crawled unsteadily towards Gaara. Gaara cringed at his approach and tried to scoot away. Naruto spoke as he got closer.

"We're similar, you and I. Both of us have led miserable lives against our will. The difference between you and I is the fact that I have people who acknowledge my existence. You have been alone, forced to exert you existence by ending others'."

Naruto stopped a few feet away from and gazed in the somewhat shocked eyes of Gaara. Naruto's eyes became sharp as he spoke the next statement.

"But, if you threaten me, I will defend myself. If you threaten my village, I will stop you in any means necessary. If you threaten my friends…no…my family, I will do everything I have in my power to make you wish you never messed with the being that is named Uzumaki Naruto, even if it means taking your life," Naruto said, his glare softening after the statement.

Gaara's siblings arrived shortly after Naruto completed the last statement. Naruto spoke as Gaara was picked up by his siblings.

"You should pay attention to the people already around you. Many things are hard to find only if you look for it. Acknowledgement is one of them."

Naruto looked as Gaara gave a small glance in Naruto's direction. His eyes were back into their emotionless state, but they seemed calmer. As the Sand siblings ran off, Naruto chuckled before blacking out.

The Sand siblings disappeared from sight as four ninjas came into the clearing, leading a large, weird-looking, oddly familiar person.

"There he is!" Sakura shouted as she saw Naruto's unconscious form. Hinata gasped and ran to him, looking him over. She was relieved to see him without any serious injuries, but she was also puzzled as to why. He did go though about 100 trees through the battle. She was surprised shortly after since Naruto's eyes snapped open.

"Hello there, Hinata-chan!" Naruto said cheerfully. Hinata raised an eyebrow. The statement was flawless in respect to Naruto's usual response, but the tone was way off.

"Hey, idiot, what the hell were you thinking taking on that Sand kind?" Jiraiya shouted as Naruto stood.

"I was thinking I could kick his ass!" Naruto responded, rubbing the back of his head. Hinata only got even more confused. The words are right, but the tone is just plain wrong. She pushed it to the back of her head as Jiraiya spoke again.

"Whatever, you idiot, let's get out of here before you wreck any more of the forest."

Later that day, the ninjas that were still capable of doing so were in the process of performing restoration. Ninjutsu helped out the process, but it was still a lot of work. The rookie nine helped out, the exceptions being Shino, Naruto and Sasuke, who sustained major injury or chakra depletion. Though he didn't look it at the first sight, Naruto was exhausted. Jiraiya was able to transport him to a hospital and get him into a hospital bed, staying around to protect the boy from any hostile people. Naruto collapsed, but Jiraiya knew who gave him the temporary strength necessary to get to the hospital. Jiraiya smiled.

A few days later, a funeral was held. They have won the battle, but they have lost much more. Each of the people that died that day was mentioned, their names given great honor by dying in battle. Each of the shinobi was given an individual funeral and on their graves bore the mark of the Honorable Death, but the most pain came from the death of the one who influenced them all, the Third Hokage.

The entire village, dressed in black, lined up one by one to lay flowers upon Sandaime's grave. Each one of them held their own personal memories, and some felt the pain more than others.

Naruto in particular looked as each of the villagers held a solemn or saddened face, each villager too preoccupied to give him a hairy eye. He felt a weight upon his waist and looked down to see Konohamaru, weeping upon the shin of the normally orange ninja. He knelt down to his level and hugged the small boy close. It was then, just then, that Naruto did something that he vowed to never do again.

He cried.

(A Few Days Later)

Naruto awoke from the confines of a hotel room. Naruto looked to the other bed and saw an obnoxiously snoring Jiraiya. Naruto returned home after the funeral to find that it was destroyed. Any person could say that it was accidentally destroyed by the enemy during the attack, but Naruto knew better.

He got up unsteadily, still sore from the battle about a week ago and got ready for the set of missions that were undoubtedly ready for him today. All the ninjas in the village were pitching in to reconstruct the village, though some things can never be repaired, like the scar across the Third's face on the monument or the lives behind the faces lost in the battle.

Naruto went over to the area in which the genin were helping. He cursed himself for blowing up the forest since the genin now needed to replant the trees in the entire clearing and the trees tat were knocked down by Gaara and Gamabunta. He was grateful to God for his superhuman chakra supply, since he was positive he was going to need it.

The event was interesting, to say the least. They were all still sad, to a certain effect, but some more than others. Naruto, for example, was still tormented by the death of his "Grandfather", but kept it within with his expert emotional hiding skills. The rookie nine and Gai's team were working within speaking distance to one another, making it impossible for Naruto to use his Touboku Saisei to restore the trees. The plus side was the fact that they can speak to each other. The down side was the topic of discussion that they chose.

"Let's talk about things we don't know about," Sakura said, trying to lighten the mood.

"How does that work, forehead?" Ino asked in response, annoying Sakura.

"We can speculate about things we don't really know about. You know, like the "unsolvable mysteries of Konoha"," Sakura said, ignoring Ino's statement.

"Oh, I have one! Who are Naruto's parents?" Ino asked quickly. Naruto only stiffened slightly, but stayed silent and solemn as he worked on planting a tree.

"Well, let's see. That's a hard one," Sakura said, thinking as she moved over to the row of unplanted trees.

"Well, let's see; looking at Naruto himself, at least one of his parents had to be blonde," Kiba said, joining in.

"That's true. If that's the case, the other parent or the blonde parent would also have blue eyes," Sakura said, looking over at Ino as she dug another hole.

"What about the whiskers? You can't really say that those come from one of his parents," Ino said, passing it along.

"Well, you can write that off as an accident or something. Maybe he got scarred with something's claws when he was younger," Sakura said.

"Maybe one of his parents was hyperactive like he is," Kiba said.

"Well, you can't really say that. Don't you remember the "what's a family?" thing he pulled back in the Academy?" Sakura said, holding no ill will.

Naruto had had enough. He dropped his shovel and stormed into another destroyed area that was filled with crushed trees, obviously the result of one of Gamabunta's movements. Nobody followed him and he could hear the remnants of the conversation as he left. He didn't turn back and look at the others that were not in the conversation. He only needed to get away from that topic. That was one topic he stopped thinking about years ago and each time he thought about it, it brought him close to tears.

He sighed as he kneeled down on a patch of dirt surrounded by crushed trees. Naruto performed a set of seals as he tried to calm down.

I, Hitsuji, Mi (Boar, Ram, Snake)

"_Calm down Naruto"_

Tatsu, Tori, Ne (Dragon, Bird, Rat)

"_You know this technique doesn't work without exact chakra control."_

Tora, Mi, Tora (Tiger, Snake, Tiger)

"_You can't have exact chakra control with a riled heart."_

Inu, Ushi, Mi (Dog, Ox, Snake)

"Touboku Saisei (Fallen Tree Regeneration)"

He only pumped a small amount of chakra into the technique, making the trees about twice his height. The fallen trees faded as a thicket of small trees appeared. Naruto, satisfied, moved on the next area…

…not away from the watchful eye of Hyûga Hinata, who stood, 50 feet away, planting a tree with her Byakugan active.

Naruto remained away from the group and restored the fallen trees one area at a time. The rookie nine and Gai's team, sans the more observant members, didn't notice his lack of presence as the remainder spoke more of Naruto's parents and who they would be. They only noticed when Kiba spoke to Naruto concerning the subject.

"Hey, Naruto, who do you think your parents are?" Kiba asked, not concerned about Naruto's emotional well-being on that particular subject.

He looked around to see no trace of the orange ninja. "What the hell? Where's that slacker Naruto?"

The unobservant members of the rookie nine looked around and saw no one. Sakura and Ino got angry and began to search for him. Hinata pointed them to the thicket that was newly formed by Naruto as the less observant members plus Gai's observant team left to try and look for him. Tenten stayed behind; content with working in the clearing. As they left earshot, Hinata giggled.

"They'll have a good time trying to find Naruto-kun in there."

"So, he used _that _technique to make the thicket; did he Hinata-san?" Shino asked in a slightly less monotonous voice than usual.

"And, if I correct," Hinata said as she activated her Byakugan, "that thicket stretches for about a kilometer."

Shino looked down and had his bugs secure a tree into the earth. If the collar wasn't there, the people present would have seen a small frown.

"I guess it is a very uncomfortable subject."

A/N: I hope you like it. I personally don't like the conclusion of the Naruto vs. Gaara fight, but I loved how I ended the Sarutobi vs. Orochimaru fight. I guess I lost spirit in the Naruto vs. Gaara fight halfway through. I'm sorry for the month long wait for this chapter, but I still hope you enjoy it. Review and I'll update as soon as I can!


	25. Chapter 24: Tsukuyomi

A/N: Here I am with the typing and the writing and the whole goody goodness of the writing process ready to get started on the writing with the keyboard and the typing and spelling and the linguistics of the English language with a pinch of Japanese here and there. I'm a little hyper at the moment, so bear with me.

Here are the review responses!

**Dragon Man 180: **While that would've been hilarious, I couldn't really factor it in. I love the idea though.

**DreadCraft: **Thanks, I'll keep that in mind in the future.

**Dokami-san: **Do I really switch perspectives? I'll pay attention more to my work. Sorry for confusing you.

**Satetsu: **Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I'll get right on it.

**Mikadzuki-Ninja: **I got it wrong? Oh, damn it, I poured over the anime for half an hour trying to get it right! Can you tell me the actual order?

Okay, I'm sorry. The first time I loaded this chapter, I completely forgot the review responses! Here they are though.

Disclaimer: **OG**: Okay guys, time to pick rooms. The rules are: a) You injure someone, you have agree to pick last; b) the rooms will be decided on a first come, first serve basis; c) no one over a ton above the 2nd floor; d) no use of the elevator is permitted; if you want a high room, climb for it; e) in the result of a tie, you have to roll 2 dice, the higher number gets the room, best two out of three; and f) the time limit is 5 minutes, I will be coming upstairs to finalize room assignments. Is that clear?

Mary: Yeah, yeah, can we get started already?

**OG: **Okay, the race begins in three, two, on…

Mary: Hey, how about the disclaimer?

**OG: **Oh, right, can you please do it Mary?

Mary: Sure, **Omegaguardian **does not own Naruto or Tales of Symphonia. Can we go now?

**OG: **Okay, GO!

(Entire crowd of animals race off, leaving a cloud of dust)

**OG: **Well, you heard what Mary said. Well, if you excuse me, I have to make sure they don't kill each other.

Here's the 25th (holy shit) installment of "Cheerfulness Incarnate"!

(Chapter begin)

Naruto awoke in the middle of the forest. He looked around and saw the trees he just re-created and saw the note in his hand. He had gotten the note in the hospital and was really thinking about going. The problem was, he had to get permission from the (now late) Hokage to leave the village without being marked a missing nin.

_Hey Naruto, we had to go soon after we were blown away by that Sand guy. There was something we had to take care of back in my village, but it's nothing big. Come visit sometime! Our village is called Iselia and it's around the edge of what you call Fire Country. I'll be happy to help you out on your sword style and Genis is really thinking a lot about that chakra thing that you guys have. _

_Hope you come soon,_

_Lloyd Irving _

Naruto held the note over his head as his lie on the ground below him. This was roughly the area where he used to stay, but the grassy aspect that he liked so much was vaporized. He drew in a deep breath and released it, making the paper flutter in his hand. Smiling, he placed it in his pocket and stood up to go to the next area.

He walked to the middle and performed the nine seals and was about to release the technique when he heard a voice.

"Hey, I got his scent! He's this way!"

Hearing Kiba's voice, Naruto started to panic slightly and started to run back to the area where they started. As he got there, he knocked a tall tree down, surprising Hinata and Tenten, who were planting two separate trees about 5 feet away from where the tree landed.

"Tôboku Saisei!"

Pumping his already molded chakra into the fallen tree, Naruto regenerated it into 5 trees about twice his height. The fallen tree disappeared, but Naruto's 5 new trees more than made up for it. Tenten and Shikamaru raised their eyebrows, but Hinata and Shino didn't bat an eye (at least, Hinata didn't; we can just assume Shino didn't bat an eye). Shikamaru was about to speak when the people present heard a voice.

"There he is! He was…here the entire time?" Kiba asked as he got confused. "But, I could have sworn that you were in…but, since when…huh?"

Naruto was standing, his back to Kiba and the search party, as he held a finger to his lips, silencing Shikamaru's questions. Naruto's eyes distinctly said, "Ask me later."

Naruto turned to see a distinctly confused crew of people, the exceptions being Neji and Lee, Neji, who saw Naruto regenerating the trees with his Byakugan and Lee, who was able to catch up with Naruto early on and come back without being noticed after seeing Naruto's actions. Both had an inquiring gaze in their eyes, but Naruto decided to ignore them and respond.

"Were you guys looking for me? I had to use the bathroom," Naruto said scratching the back of his head. Kiba bought it, but no one else did.

"Why would you take that long?" Sakura asked, somewhat annoyed.

"Haven't you ever heard of a "Number two"?" Naruto responded sheepishly.

Sakura looked wide-eyed at the thought. Naruto laughed as she puffed and got back to work. Ino obviously bought it after that one. Chôji didn't really care. He told Naruto that he just wanted to get away from the tree planting, if just for a little bit, making Naruto chuckle. He shot humorous glances to Hinata, Shino, and Shikamaru, drawing a suspicious glance from Tenten, though Naruto didn't catch it.

And thus, the day resumed without incident. Running low on chakra, Naruto didn't perform the technique again that day, but he felt the satisfaction of a job well done…as well as the satisfaction of the fact that he doesn't have to manually replant trees in those areas.

A few days later, the Rookie Nine split into two groups after Sasuke rejoined them after his recovery. The smart ones (Shikamaru, Hinata, Shino, Tenten and Lee) grouped with Naruto and went off to one area of the forest that was squashed by Gamabunta. The others (Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Kiba, Chôji, and Neji, the latter two looking very dejected) went to an area that was obliterated by one of Gaara's attacks.

For Sasuke's group, it was normal and not really all that exciting. The only event that was really of interest was the conflicting competition between Sakura and Ino about who would get Sasuke. This turned out to be counterproductive and they didn't get finished until late in the evening.

For Naruto's group, it turned out to be an amusing day. While the others worked on the trees at a normal pace, Naruto and Lee ended up having a competition as to who can plant/regenerate the most trees in the shortest amount of time. With Tenten as the referee, Naruto and Lee went off and planted trees at an alarming rate. They finished the last of their areas about 8 hours after they started (mostly because of the fact that Naruto and Lee kept on planting trees with superhuman speed, Lee with his inhuman ability to go really fast and Naruto with his Tôboku Saisei). They were able to relax the rest of the day, which had pretty nice weather when they were covered by the tree's branches. Naruto fell asleep for a while as Lee did push-ups, since they tied on the amount of trees they planted. It was a very amusing day, but also very calm; something everyone enjoyed.

(Meanwhile)

As restoration continued, two figures walked through the village. Both were wearing cloaks that had a red cloud print upon them, but their faces could hardly be seen. One of the figures, the smaller one, was looking around at the people around them, the people merely stopping for a moment as he passed by before resuming work.

"Do you really think this will work?" a blue-faced figure asked, a large sword-like item on his back.

"I am confident. Besides, I don't need to even hypnotize them. I just need to enhance the hatred they already have for the boy," the shorter figure said. His face was shrouded by the straw hat he was wearing, but shining red eyes could be seen underneath it.

Three Konoha ninja looked over at the shorter ninja and raised an eyebrow from the interior of a bookstore. Two ninja began to tail the two cloaked figures silently as they attempted to signal other ninjas for backup.

"_I'm sorry Sasuke, but your training will have to wait. I have to deal with your brother first," _the third ninja thought as he went for an ally.

(Later)

"So, what are two S-class ninjas like you doing in our village?" Asuma asked as he approached the two cloaked figures.

"It's been a long time, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san," the shorter figure said.

"So, do you mind taking off the hat? I'd like to see who I have to fight," Kurenai said as she prepared for battle.

"Do you know these people?" the taller figure asked as he looked down at the shorter one. The shorter figure nodded slightly and took off his hat, revealing the Sharingan eyes and the telltale facial lines that belong to the one who massacred his entire clan.

"Uchiha Itachi, you dare return to this village after what you have done? I can only assume that the tall guy is your partner, am I right?" Asuma asked; anger evident in his voice.

"Well, I guess that's my cue," the taller one said, taking off his hat, revealing a shark-like blue face.

"I knew I recognized that sword from somewhere. You're Hoshigaki Kisame, previously of the Seven Swordsman of the Mist, am I correct?" Kurenai asked.

"I see you recognize me; I'm flattered," Kisame said as he brought his gigantic sword forward. Itachi moved his arm in front of Kisame's body.

"Wait, Kisame, we are not here to cause a ruckus."

"Then, what are you here for?" Asuma asked, drawing his trench knives.

"We've already finished our purpose. We need not stay any longer," Itachi said, dropping his arm.

"Well, I'm here to say that you guys can't leave here," Asuma said, ready to fight. Kurenai stood, ready at his side.

Kisame gripped his sword. "This is getting annoying. Can I kill them?"

Itachi looked on and responded in a cold tone. "It seems we cannot leave peacefully. Don't overdo it. Your moves stand out too much and it's too troublesome to fight more than necessary."

Asuma laughed. "You sound like one of my students."

Kisame quickly lifted his sword and struck upward. Asuma saw this attack coming quickly and dodged it. Kisame quickly changed the direction of the sword's path, bringing it towards Kurenai. Asuma quickly got in front of Kurenai to stop the attack with his trench knives. Kurenai jumped back and formed a number of seals. She then started to disappear moments later.

"_I can't believe I'm being overpowered by the tip of a blade, even if it is huge."_

Asuma groaned at the force of the sword as he tried to hold it back.

"_Hurry up, Kurenai!" _

Asuma widened his eyes as the very tip of the wrapped blade touched his shoulder and grunted as Kisame pulled it back, grinding off the top layer of his skin.

"The legendary sword, Samehada, does not cut. It grinds!" Kisame yelled as he pulled back his blade.

Asuma staggered slightly. _"Kurenai, you're late."_

At that precise moment, wood began to grow out of the ground. Kisame looked shocked as he raised his sword. Itachi seemed calm as the branches immobilized him. After they were completely bound by the tree, a flame appeared on the bottom of the trees and started to burn the tree as Kurenai appeared in the trunk above Itachi. He looked calm as he looked up into the image of Kurenai.

"This is the end!" she shouted, thrusting a kunai downward.

There was a flash of light and Kurenai found herself being trapped by her own technique. Bound by a tree, she started to feel the flames at her feet.

"_Did he just reflect my Magen: Hiaburi (Demonic Illusion: Burning at the Stake)? Damn, you have to calm down to get out of this one. Don't think about the flames," _she thought as she bit her lip enough to draw blood. Itachi charged forward and tried to impale her with a kunai, but Kurenai jumped back just in time. She jumped to the steam below and stood on top of the water and did some seals as Itachi started to follow her. She looked up to Itachi and started her technique.

"Magen… (Demonic Illusion)," Kurenai said.

"…Dekishi (Death by Drowning)," Itachi finished.

Kurenai was now faced with another of her genjutsu as the water below her started to try and consume her. She quickly brought her hands to another seal.

"Kai (Release)!"

Kurenai rose to the surface one more and sighed as she calmed down. It was then that Itachi struck Kurenai, bringing her to her knees.

"Those were some good genjutsu, Kurenai-san. But, it would take more than that to defeat me. It's…"

"…all over for you," a voice said.

Meanwhile, Asuma was frantically dodging Kisame's blade as he tried to look for an opening. As Kisame's blade crashed to the ground, Asuma took the chance and slashed his trench knives toward Kisame's face. The shark-faced man moved out of the way of the blade, but still sustained a slash on his cheek.

"What the…?" Kisame asked.

Asuma stood, his trench knives charged with chakra, ready to strike again when he could. Kisame was making a number of seals quickly and brought his hands to the last seal.

"Suiton: (Water Release)…" Kisame said.

"…Suikôdan no Jutsu (Water Shark Missile Technique)," Kisame and another voice said.

Two torrents of water flew from the stream and met between Asuma and Kisame. The watery mist cleared to reveal Kakashi in front of Asuma and behind Itachi.

"Hatake Kakashi," Itachi muttered as a kunai was pressed against his neck.

"Kakashi, did you get back-up?" Asuma asked.

"They're on their way. They're pretty busy with another task, though; something I think these two may have something to do with," Kakashi said as he looked at Itachi's shining Sharingan eyes.

(Meanwhile)

Naruto had been training in the woods after the forest restoration. He wasn't destroying the tree, merely working on his speed with them. At the moment, Naruto had been sending a small gust into the air (using Fûton: Toppû no Jutsu) and slicing through the leaves that fell down from the canopies.

"_Twenty leaves; I need to strike at least 10 of them to take down my last record," _Naruto thought as he saw the leaves falling.

As one came within striking distance, Naruto moved his hand upward, bringing his right sword to cut the leaf. Hitting that one dead on, Naruto focused on the next leaf, which was approaching near his left eye. Slicing through that one, Naruto focused on the third, then the fourth, then the fifth, the sixth and the seventh.

The eighth one was cut as Naruto noticed that there were only two leaves left in the air. Naruto cut through the ninth one easily, allowing Naruto to focus on the other one. Naruto moved his left blade to strike the leaf. The blade came closer and closer to the leaf as Naruto moved to cut it.

Naruto messed up on this one, approaching the leaf with his blade tilted partially to the side, catching wind on the flat end. This made a small breeze with the blade, knocking the leaf off path, making Naruto cut only the stem.

Naruto let out a small breath as the leaf fell to the ground. If the weights were off, Naruto could probably do this task easily. The problem was Naruto had no idea how to take off the bangles now that they were stuck to his ankles and wrists.

"_That's enough for today. I'll head back, get some ramen and then go home. I'm a little tired after restoring so much forest."_

Naruto looked up to the sky and saw birds flying through the air through the branches of the trees.

"_At least I was able to restore it."_

He wiped his face with a small towel and stuck it in his pocket. He walked through the village, looking around the town.

"_What's going on? I feel a great amount of killer intent and it's not from ninjas."_

Naruto put his guard up while staying constant in his mask. He looked about cautiously and saw only intense glares. He knew that he didn't miss any specific event that would have the village look at him with such intensity, but he was getting a little freaked out by the display.

"_Just keep walking. As long as they don't attack me, I'm perfectly fine."_

Naruto then barely avoided a wall of people holding shovels, picks, axes, kunai and other forms of weaponry.

"_Shit…"_

Naruto began to run. It was a good thing that he brought all his possessions with him because he wasn't going back home, not if the villagers can help it.

(Meanwhile)

"Stop Kisame, you'll sustain unnecessary injuries. It will be harmful in our mission."

"Really; will you kindly tell us what exactly your mission is?" Kakashi asked as the shadow clone in front of Asuma vanished.

"We're here to get something that we're looking for," Itachi said to Kakashi.

"And what exactly are you looking for?" Kakashi asked in return.

Itachi stayed silent as he stared down Kakashi. Kakashi jumped back quickly when he saw shuriken appear in Itachi's hand. Performing seals, Kakashi released a technique.

"Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)!"

As Kakashi was wrapped in a shield of water, four steams of water burst from the stream, attempting to hit Kakashi. Kakashi emerged from the barrier unharmed.

"_He's fast. I wasn't even able to see the seals or his movements."_

Kakashi's thoughts were interrupted by a stab in the back. He widened his eyes, since he could still see Itachi in front of him. "Kakashi" then dissipated into the steam below. Itachi only looked in confusion as Kurenai finished a seal order.

"Magen: As… (Demonic Illusion: (Incomplete Name))"

She was interrupted by a harsh kick from another of Itachi's shadow clones. The shadow clone started to get close to Kurenai when...

Kakashi jumped out of the water and knocked her out of the way.

"That's a shadow clone. If I'm guessing correctly…"

BOOM!

A watery mist and a small spout of rain fell upon the people present as Asuma jumped into the mist, looking for his allies. They were standing at another part of the stream as Asuma jumped beside them.

"Are you guys okay? What happened?" Asuma asked, scanning the two for injuries.

"He made his clone explode. That's all," Kakashi said cheerfully as he stood to face Itachi. "Be careful, this is the man who became captain of an ANBU squad at the age of 13."

Itachi stared them down and started to close his eyes. "This is getting to be a nuisance."

Kakashi widened his eyes as Itachi slowly opened his. As Kakashi peered into the blood-red eyes of the Sharingan, he warned the other two. "Close your eyes now! Whatever you do, don't look in his eyes! I'll watch him with my Sharingan. If you open your eyes, you're dead!"

"While it is true that you can resist this technique with the Sharingan, only a true heir of the Uchiha would be able to defeat me. Even then, not many can block the legendary genjutsu, Tsukuyomi (Moon Reader)."

"_A true heir of the Uchiha Clan…Sasuke?" _he thought.

He then felt a jolt. He looked around to see a blood red moon, a crimson sky and black clouds. The water around him turned black as he felt himself being immobilized. He looked down to see Itachi, holding a sword.

"In the world of Tsukuyomi," he heard as he felt a piercing pain, "I control space and time." Another painful jolt measured in his mind. "…And even the mass of objects"

Another stab; another pain; and another voice rang in his ears. "Starting now, I will stab you with a sword for 72 hours."

Kakashi felt his eye close as he lost consciousness. As he awakened, he heard another voice. He saw two Itachis and another body on a cross, immobilized. He looked closer and saw that it was him. He looked down as Itachi stabbed him.

"In the world of Tsukuyomi," stab, "I control space and time," two stabs, "…And even the masses of objects."

Stab, stab, searing pain

Kakashi was knocked unconscious again and he came to again. This time, the entire area was filled with crosses with his body on each of them. Kakashi felt an incredible amount of pain as all of the bodies were stabbed. He could feel each and every stab with a great intensity. As he began to black out, he heard Itachi's voice once more.

"71 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds to go"

Kakashi screamed.

(Meanwhile)

"What are they thinking? Do they really expect me to just halt my wonderful book series for a political title? I don't even want to be Hokage! Well, at least I can take someone with me. Now, who to pick? I was told that training a genin would be most beneficial to the village…"

It was then when an orange blur passed by Jiraiya, making a gust of wind pass by him moments later. About a minute afterward, a horde of people carrying pitchforks, shovels and other tools and weapons burst out of nowhere and followed the orange blur. The sound of "Get the demon brat!" was apparent as they rushed past.

"Well, that suits me just fine. I guess I'm training that guy," Jiraiya said before he disappeared.

He reappeared next to the running orange blur which was, not surprisingly, Naruto.

"Hey Naruto, what are you doing?" Jiraiya asked casually.

"What does it look like I'm doing jackass?" Naruto yelled back, in a panic.

"Well, then, I'll get right to the point. Would you like to come with me to train?" Jiraiya asked as he ran.

"I'm a little busy Ero-Sennin, and watch out for that wall," Naruto said as he jumped over a wall in an attempt to lose his pursuers. Naruto heard a thump on the wall he jumped over and he chuckled a bit before running some more. It was only 10 seconds later when Jiraiya rejoined him.

"As I was saying, I'm giving you the opportunity to train with me, a high-class, ultra ninja! You can't afford to pass this up!"

"I would, but I can't Ero-Sennin," Naruto said as he ran.

"Now why's that?" Jiraiya asked.

"At the moment, I'm not safe in the village. I need to hang around the outskirts of the village until these idiots calm down. It's a good thing I brought my stuff," Naruto said.

"Now, who said that I was going to train you inside the village, I'm going traveling and I'm taking you with me. So, I ask again, would you like to be my apprentice?" Jiraiya asked.

Naruto looked at Jiraiya and smiled. "You've got yourself an apprentice! Let's get the hell out of here before I get gutted like a fish!"

Naruto and Jiraiya sped to the edge of the village and sped out the gates, leaving the civilian pursuers in the dust.

Moments later, a whitish flash followed them. The guards were all too busy herding the civilians to notice.

As soon as Naruto left, the ninjas got into action. A horde of ninja headed for an area near the edge of the village to intercept a couple of S-class ninja. The Konoha ninja proved to be ineffective, since, moments later, Gai could be seen carrying Kakashi to the hospital and the other ninja returned empty-handed.

(The Next Day)

"Kakashi, why didn't you train me yesterday?" Sasuke asked, annoyed as he burst into the abode of the jônin.

What he saw wasn't a pleasant sight. Four jônin sat or stood around the bed of Kakashi as Kakashi himself lay unconscious on the bed.

"What's going on? Why are the other jônin here? What happened?"

Gai looked sternly at the genin. He didn't say a word, but the look conveyed a message.

"_It's not your concern."_

It was then that another ninja burst into the room.

"Sir, it seems that the S-class ninja have escaped the village. There are no reported injuries except for Kakashi's heavy mental damage. We are currently searching for treatment for the Mangekyô Sharingan's effects."

The jônin present glared heavily at the ninja that walked in.

"_Shut up!"_

Sasuke widened his eyes and went to the ninja and held him up by his collar.

"Where was he headed?" he asked with killer intent.

"He-he was h-headed for the l-lodging town just o-outside the village."

Sasuke dropped the ninja and ran out, going out of the village and searching for his 'long-lost brother'.

(Meanwhile)

"Naruto; let me take this opportunity to tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to teach you a new technique," Jiraiya said as they walked down the road to the lodging town.

Naruto instantly got excited. "Alright! I'm finally going to learn something new!"

Naruto started to cheer and hop around the Sannin. Jiraiya tried to get his attention after that, but to no avail.

"Naruto…"

"HA, I can finally take down Sasuke and his Chidori…"

"Naruto…"

"I wonder what it is. Is it a powerful fire technique? Is it a wind technique?"

"NARUTO!"

Naruto stopped cheering for a moment to see an annoyed Jiraiya.

"You need to let me finish," he said, still annoyed. Naruto was still excited, but kept quiet. "We're looking for a lady friend of mine."

"Oh, great; I knew this was going to be a perverted expedition, Ero-Sennin."

"Will you shut up and let me finish? We're going to be stopping at the lodging town so I can get some information. You can wander around a little bit, but be back at the inn before nightfall, okay?"

Naruto nodded. "Is that all, Ero-Sennin?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yes, carry on."

At those words, Naruto began to cheer again, circling Jiraiya as they entered the town.

Jiraiya chuckled. _"He is just like you, Yondaime."_

(In Naruto's Mind)

Click……click……click……

"**Will you stop that infernal clicking?" **Kyûbi said as he saw Yondaime throwing rocks at the wall.

"**_Okay," _**Yondaime said as he stopped throwing them at the wall.

"**Thank you," **Kyûbi said as he lied down in his cage. Closing his eyes, he felt something else.

Bonk…bonk…bonk…

Annoyed, Kyûbi opened his eyes to see Yondaime, just outside his cage, throwing rocks at his head.

"**What the hell are you doing?" **Kyûbi asked, indignant.

"_**I'm bored."**_

"**Why are you throwing rocks at me?" **

"_**You said you didn't want to hear that 'infernal clicking'."**_

"**Stop throwing them at me!"**

"_**Entertain me."**_

Kyûbi growled menacingly before trying to run Yondaime through the bars of the cage. Yondaime only yawned.

"_**Like I haven't seen that millions of times; you did that and more when you found out I was in here with you."**_

Kyûbi started to ram against the bars of the gate; pissed at the former Hokage before him. Yondaime chuckled slightly.

"**_You did that too."_**

Kyûbi started to put his tails through the bars of the gate, going for Yondaime's body. The Fourth moved to dodge the attacks as Kyûbi continued his relentless attack.

"_**Now, that's more like it."**_

(Meanwhile)

Jiraiya left Naruto earlier to try and track down information about his "lady friend". Naruto knew better, though. He was probably peeking at women or trying to hook up with somebody in the town. Leaving a clone in the inn in case Jiraya returned earlier than expected, he left.

He was now wandering the streets. He felt odd as he looked at all the weird people around the town. Naruto sighed in relief as he walked around the town. He stopped at a patch of grass and lied down. He felt elated at the thought of leaving the village for a short while. Sure, he did that every so often, but he could still feel the faint feeling of a gaze of hatred. Here, he felt nothing.

"_That's why…I can't feel anything…these people just take me as a "normal" person. The hatred…it's not here."_

Naruto sighed in relief as he relaxed. It wasn't the nervous relaxation that he had done in the village, but a true calming feeling. Since there was no hatred of him within this village, he could peacefully enjoy the smaller things without worrying about things that awaited him back in the village.

……

Naruto then felt a jolt. In his mind's eye, he found the image of a cloaked man with red eyes like Sasuke's and a shark-faced man beside him. He saw Sasuke next to Itachi moments later. He saw the Chidori once more, creating a line of destruction along the wall of the inn, ripping a line through the doors of the rooms. He saw Itachi blocking the Chidori and breaking his arm. He saw Jiraiya perform a technique that turned the walls into a mushy pink material. He finally saw Itachi and Kisame running away as a stream of fire chased after them. The fire roasted the shadow clone and the memories ended there.

Naruto stood quickly and made his way back to the inn. Halfway there, he found himself face to face with Itachi.

"_Oh, shit."_

Naruto moved into a defensive stance and prepared to fight. It was then that Itachi spoke.

"I assume you are the real Naruto-kun, am I correct?"

Naruto stood firmly, silent. He clenched his fists and prepared to defend himself.

"Katon: Karyû Endan (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile)!"

Itachi and Kisame moved out of the way to prevent being hit by the massive fire attack. They ran off, leaving Naruto and Jiraiya to look closely at Sasuke.

"What happened?"

"He was attacked by Itachi after he saw that you were a shadow clone."

"So, it was a good thing that I left a shadow clone here while you did your perverted stuff, right?"

"That's right…hey, I wasn't doing anything perverted!"

"Sure you weren't. You and I both know you were peeking at women."

"No, I was…"

A kunai flew into the hallway. Naruto and Jiraiya looked at it for a moment before hearing a voice.

"Dynamic Entry!"

Turning around quickly, Jiraiya saw a foot heading for his face.

"Gai?" was the last thing he said before being nailed in the face. Naruto cracked up as he saw Gai's expression change from "smile with a shiny-teeth smile" to "oh, shit, I just hit Jiraiya-sama".

Moments later, Jiraiya was standing again, this time with a tissue stuck up his bleeding nose. He was twitching slightly as Gai announced his mistake with the "power of youth".

"I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama, I didn't realize it was you. Without my mirror, I was unable to detect the identity of my target. I used my forehead protector, but the image was too hazy for me to see very well. I saw someone and the power of youth filled me as I moved to strike! I'm sorry!

"Do you call that an apology?" Jiraiya asked, annoyed at being kicked in the face.

"Mincing words is not my specialty."

"Whatever, can you take Sasuke here back to Konoha and into the hospital? He was hit by Itachi and a genjutsu of some kind."

"I know, Kakashi was hit with the same technique. He's in the hospital right now."

"Kakashi-sensei is hurt? What happened to him?" Naruto asked, in a panic.

"He fought Itachi and was hit by the same technique. He's been out cold ever since."

Naruto looked down at Sasuke's unconscious body as the conversation continued around him.

"_Sasuke, what did he do to you?"_

Naruto snapped back to reality moments later.

"Yes, we're going to look for _her._ A Sannin like myself, a medical specialist, the slug master; we're going to look for Tsunade-hime."

(End Chapter)

Technique Explanation:

Magen: Hiaburi (Demonic Illusion: Burning at the Stake) is a combination of Magen: Karyû Chûjô (Fire Dragon in the Shape of a Pillar; shown in the Wave Country arc against Zabuza the first time, albeit unnamed) and Magen: Jubaku Satsu (Tree Bind Death). This technique grows a tree the wraps around the enemy. The tree then engulfs in flames, harming the victim heavily if the victim doesn't escape quickly enough. The user can appear in the trunk of the burning tree to deal a finishing blow, not unlike the actions in Jubaku Satsu.

Magen: Dekishi (Demonic Illusion: Death by Drowning) is Kurenai's genjutsu expression of the Suirô no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique) that she was hit with back in Wave Country. This technique usually has the victim starting to sink in the surface they are on. If the surface is land, it starts to seem that the surface is water, but it is more convincing if the victim is on the water. It is about as deadly as the Magen: Jubaku Satsu, but only if their hands have been paralyzed or immobilized (For example, if a ninja is landing on his hands on a watery surface as soon as Kurenai engages the technique, only distraction of mind would free them). Being most effective around water, watery surfaces are great mediums for this technique.

Magen: Asshi (Demonic Illusion: Crushing to Death) is a technique developed after the war with Iwagakure after witnessing a Rock ninja perform Doton: Iwayado Kuzushi (Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction). If my calculations are correct, she was around the same age as Kakashi, although she may have been only a chûnin or a genin. This was the technique that was interrupted by Itachi in this chapter.

A/N: Hey, did you notice that all of my recent technique creations had to do with execution techniques (Kage Bunshin Raidanketsu: Jûkei (Shadow Clone Lightning Combination: Death by Firing Squad), Magen: Funkei (Demonic Illusion: Burning at the Stake), Magen: Dekishi (Demonic Illusion: Death by Drowning), and Magen: Asshi (Demonic Illusion: Crushing to Death))? I just noticed that. That's kind of funny. Anyway, I made the three genjutsu above on a whim because I could. It seemed right to have Kurenai put more of a fight, even if the Sharingan would take her down anyway. And, if Kurenai is a genjutsu specialist, I would assume that she would be able to have the above techniques, right?

Anyway, this was kind of a bridge chapter. I'll try to make it longer next time around. I'm still trying to get used to the new schedule and the new time zone. I'll see you all later!

REVIEW OR I SHALL UNLEASH MANY A FIREBALL TOWARDS YOU!


	26. Author's Note VERY IMPORTANT

You know, I am starting to think that this story isn't working out the way I hoped it would. I agree with a vast majority of my reviewers when they say my story has gotten way too close to the actual storyline of Naruto. I'm thinking I should just delete this story and start a series of one-shots that express the better of my thoughts during the process of writing this story. The isolated stories would probably be in much more detail than I put in this story, and probably a little better written. But, in return, I'll delete "Cheerfulness Incarnate" and make the story into a series of one-shots that depict Naruto in scenes such as "What if X happened instead of (actual event here)?" Also, I'm thinking on writing a totally better story in place of CI, but I need to know what you think about my ideas.

The first idea asks the question "What would happen if the Bikôchû mission succeeded?" starting from the start of the Bikôchû mission and moving along from there. This one would obviously be a NaruHina because I refuse to write Naruto with anyone else.

The second will be written on the basis of the following statement(s). "We all know Naruto pulled back on Sasuke at the last second in the Valley of the End. What if he didn't? Sasuke still escapes, but how? And even then, how will Naruto and the Rookie Nine get him back?" This would start near the middle of the Valley of the End fight and go from there.

The third idea is to fuse the two ideas above, but that may be too tiresome.

I may decide to write both of these like I said in the third idea or write them both individually, but I need your opinion to say which one you like better so I can start on that one first. I also need an opinion on the status of this story so please review, PM me or do something to contact me and voice your opinion. Thank you for your time.


	27. Author's Note Part 2 Wow

Okay, by the burial of disagreement from the last chapter (within the last 5 hours of me posting the notice, I might add), I'll be just revising the previous chapters and possibly releasing a series of one-shots elaborating on the better of my ideas. In exchange, I may just make a small "story and sequel" thing or a trilogy with the ideas I had in the previous chapter. To tell the truth, I really enjoy my creation, but I know there are things that I could do without (the Tales of Symphonia characters, for example, they're starting to get annyoing since they're not in their actual setting). Now that I'm (kinda) settled, I can probably work on revising the chapters before, implementing the skills I got over time while writing this story. I think that would make me feel like this story is still worth writing (and possibly cure me of my **IMMENSE **case of writer's block). Plus, the good old resounding **_"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" _**you all sent me was a good sign on my end.

The other option is for me to halt production on this story and re-write from scratch (idea from **Tellemicus Sundance**)which I'm certainly thinking about. Maybe I can re-start without making it so similar to his work.

Now, once again, I'm asking for all of your opinions. I need you to tell me which ones I need to revise the most so I can focus on them. It's pretty easy to spot my own mistakes and fix up the past since I already have a good template set up for each chapter.

And, I'm also taking requests for one-shot ideas. Like I said, I have an **IMMENSE **case of writer's block so I need ideas. For these, can you PM me or send me e-mails? I only have a few conditions.

I need an event of some sort to happen to make things interesting. It can be a "What if BLAH BLAH happened?" type of thing. The event could even be as simple as Valentine's Day.

I need to know what you're talking about when you write the request.

It needs to be a NaruHina or have a pairing that does not make me rip this pairing apart (see Author's profile on views on Yaoi, Yuri and Incest). I prefer NaruHina, but I can write Nejiten, ShikaIno and SasuSaku if I try really hard, but these will take some time. That is, given you request a Naruto fic. I can do other animes/mangas, but I'll have to focus on those a little more than Naruto (see profile for pairing preferences since those are the only ones I'll do).

And finally, please be patient on your requests. I won't promise all will be written, but I will attempt to respond to your requests whether they are rejected or not.

Why am I doing this, you ask? It's because I believe that writer's block can be cured by writing something else then going back to your previous story with more (and hopefully better) ideas. I kinda forgot about that when I posted the last chapter.

Now, you may all say what you wish to me on this chapter or the chapter before. I will delete this chapter and the chapter before to make this story as smooth reading as possible.

So, now that I'm done saying all this, I bet you all know what the "UNDER CONSTRUCTION" notice on my story's summary means, huh?

Well then, I'll be seeing you all later (puts on hard hat). I have some reconstruction to do. It's a really good thing that I save all my chapters, even after they've been posted.

Bye,

-Omegaguardian


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